You know... This could be a situation of operator error. I need to refresh my memory on the lighting instructions of these. You can see the control knob doesn't have lighting instructions label any longer. I looked at my other 220 after I typed my last message and seen the 1/4 turn to light then wide open after it's going. I know I had it open several turns before it started dripping. I'm going to give it another try following the proper procedure. I'm sure having the generator hot keeps the fuel atomized... and helps or eliminates fuel dripping.
They can't burn fuel in a liquid state. The old old ones you had to actually preheat. The newer old ones, when you give them a quarter turn... they start on the fuel laden air above the fuel in the fount. You run them on that setting until they quit flickering and they steady out, that means the generator is warm. Then when you open the valve all the way it switches from sucking off the top to straight liquid off the bottom. The liquid fuel is boiled in the generator and switches to a gaseous state so it will burn correctly.
The hole at the top of the fuel/air tube right below the threads, that is where it sucks the vapor at startup. At the tip of the bottom there is a hole where it takes in the liquid. For lanterns that have sat a long time that can get plugged up with dried fuel deposits (as pictured lol)
Fun fact, propane tractors start the same way. They start on "the vapor" and when they are warmed up they switch to liquid.
They're still out there... try to avoid over paying on ebay... some of those folks believe they're gold plated. The real trick to this game is to find your birthday lantern... made in the same month and year you were born. My search continues for that one.
I think they were on strike or something on my birthday month, ebay or otherwise I have never seen mine. NIB stoves for $150 yes but nothing smaller and for sure nothing in the wild. Lots of 3/6/9 of 84 but no 7-84. I do have my truck's birthday lantern and since we are about the same age that is good enough for now.
Stoves are cheap, if one isn't let it go. I picked up a 425 from the 90's for my brother that needed nothing but a light for $2. My main one now is a 413 from the 70's that was $15... I love that thing.
If a lantern doesn't work when you get it figure it will need at least a little fiddling. If it has been in a case... usually it will look cherry have not be full of bugs which will help a lot. Regionally the red ones can be worth a lot of money to some people. I have seen some really trashy looking ones listed for more than I have in the working one I imported from South Dakota.