Antique oil can

If that can had "Webley" printed on it I would give you £100 for it.

graham.

Hi folks,

The ancient oilcan I have in my possession dates prewar and even perhaps further.

My GG Grandad and my G Grandad were engine-wrights and steam engine builders in the middle to late1800's (still got some of their CAD drawings) and wouldn't it be fantastic if it had actually belonged to one of them (very doubtful though)

But they probably used oil by the bucketful.

Anyway back to the oilcan.

Pictures are below.

The spout is brass with about a 1/32"dia hole straight through, no valve.

It's about 3" dia and 3" high and formed from tin-plate although there are only traces left of the plating.

It has the normal diaphragm at the base for pumping the oil out.

The tin-plate has a very unusual spiral forming embossed on it.

Note the letter K also embossed on it under which is "No. 74" also embossed.

If anybody can throw any light on it's provenance I would be delighted.

I myself believe it is a Webley one

Len.P

That is a Kayes oil can. A quick search on the web provides a lot of info on the Company and often used items for sale of their various types.

The other company that produced oil cans/feeders in significant quantities was Braime of Leeds. Again a search will tell you all about them.

Thanks for that info Chris.

I followed up the name but the company went out of business in 1982, shame.

It was known as the "walnut whip" oil can apparently.

They seem to be collectors items nowadays.

The one pint version went for £194 on e-bay last year but it was in good condition.

One of the long spout versions was what was supplied to us apprentices in the 1950's.

Len.

Had a look at the site that MichaelG highlighted, I wasn't far off, with a ball you would just have to make sure that it did not seat on the opening when opened for use. Ian S C

Well, I have caved in and forked out 10 quid for the modern plastic equivalent with a brass spout...might be able to graft the new spout on, or dismantle it to see if I can reproduce the top half - or perhaps try and make one from the patent diagram but perhaps this will end up being another 'roundtoit' ...

Off to Tracy Tools lunchtime and the expression 'child in a sweetie shop' springs to mind...

Chris

Just bought a valvespout oiler today Made in England by Muller on mint label . It also reads No leak - no waste - no cap to close .A twist to open A twist to close . on top it has a number 4930-99-960-4547 Its in the shape of an old fashioned cig lighter and looks like one with its spout about 1 1/2" can appears to be copper about 4"x4" with half round ends . cost 50p clitheroe car boot .

.

Very smug for a first post, David

Seriously though ... Well done, and welcome.

MichaelG.

I recently bought this Braimes oil can at a boot fair (cheap!) and amazingly none of my friends or family are remotely interested - what's wrong with people?!! I think it's a thing of great beauty and elegance. A Google search of Braimes led me here but lots of other info on the web of course. This can looks like the one featured in a 1938 Braimes ad.

Edited By Phil Stevenson on 25/09/2017 18:17:15

Phil

"Snap" your Braimes oil can. They are a thing of beauty, the Concorde of oil can design.

Excellent description! Let's hope no-one mentions Barry Manilow ...

Cannot compete with Michael G.

See also Parker Hale Gunsmiths.

Regards, Bear.

I left my valvespout oiler at Derby MES

Neil

That's a NATO Stock Number - it's a military oil can.

Group 49 is 'Maintenance and Repair Shop Equipment', 4930 is 'Lubrication and Fuel Dispensing Equipment'.

960-4547 is the stock number, the item's unique identity within the NATO logistics system

99 is the Nation Code of the country that allocated the stock number. 99 is the UK, 00 & 01 are the USA. A little humour was sneaked into the system. Australia is 66. That's 99 upside down!

If you want to know more it's on the web. This example is an OILER, HAND probably ex-Royal Navy.

Dave

I was given a beautiful old oil can by a well meaning old timer a few years ago, took it into the workshop and put oil into it, only to see it peeing out through the rim at the bottom where it had gone rusty, that's Irony....