One of the locum tenum's here for the weekend told me she has 2 brass oil cans at her home. they both are brass, have "Ford" on one side, one has an "E" on the back side. I tried to find the thread about oil cans on search engine so forgive me for asking here. She wonders what they are worth and is interested in selling them.
If you have a copy of Vintage Ford, Jan/Feb 2010, there is article on oil cans with all info and pictures, page 32-34.
The cans with large F script were made by Maple City Mfg, the 'E' on the others denotes Eagle Mfg, and its claimed there are 7 different kinds of T oil cans and no two are alike :-)
Only the early cans for the early brass up to about '15? used the internal'bayonet' means instead of the usual screw cap. Those were mfg by Noera and have pat date of 1908.
Prices range from a few bucks to $100 (eBay) with condition the key , the better still have a lot of the copper plate over the steel can still shiny.
Tenum means?
What is Locum Tenens?
Locum tenens is taken from a Latin phrase meaning “to hold the place of.” Most commonly referring to temporary physicians, locum tenens doctors contract with recruitment agencies to perform medical services for a healthcare organization over a certain period of time. The physician works as an independent contractor paid through the staffing agency, which is in turn paid by the healthcare facility.
Thank you, Dan. I'll see if I can dig it up.
Our surgeon cannot be "on call" continuously all the time so the hospital hires a "locum Tenens" from out town to cover him when he is gone. The current doc is from Denver. She states here husband refurbishes old cars but not as old as T's.
Dan, I think the Judging Standards has pretty well decreed that only the bayonet spout is correct for Ts; the screw-on spout is Model A and later.
Not sayin' I agree or disagree. Just sayin'.
Here are a few earlier threads on oil cans:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/179374/189082.html
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/179374/184661.html?1295656790
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/118802/126431.html
Here are a few recent auction results:
cans that sold:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Early-Ford-Underhood-Oil-Can-/221269396430 ($19.49)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ford-w-E-symbol-Oil-Can-Oiler-Model-T-tool-kit-a ccessory-/370879440360 ($31.99)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ford-original-automobile-underhood-OIL-CAN-oiler -auto-car-accessory-/390643499399 ($44)
Cans that didn't sell:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ford-original-automobile-underhood-OIL-CAN-oiler -auto-car-accessory-/141041677808 ($29.99)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ford-oil-can-/281151155328 ($32)
I haven't noticed anyone mentioning it, but Noel said BRASS oil cans. I am by no means an expert, but the only Ford script oil cans that I have seen or heard of are copper plated steel. Maybe the "locum tenum" doesn't know the difference between brass and copper, or she has something unique. Just wondering. Dave
David, I once passed on a genuine brass Ford script oil can, at $45. I now wish I had not been so impecunious at the time. They are out there. Whether they are T types or not I don't know.
Allan from down under.
First of all, I've never seen a brass oil can. All the ones I've seen are copper plated. Next, the screw top oil cans go way back. The early oil cans have the Ford script in two places, and there were two makers of them. Mike Walker is the most knowledgeable person I know of on oil cans, so perhaps he can remove any doubt.
If I'm the most knowledgeable person around regarding oil cans, then not much is known about them. I have a modest collection of Ford script ones of different types, but most of what I think I know about them is conjecture. It's a shame that no one documented their history when it was current. All we can do now is guess about their various dates of manufacture and usage.
I think we can conclude that the more common ones probably are later and/or made in greater quantities than the more rare ones, but as far as I know, there is no record of which can was furnished with which year of car.
I have seen dozens if not hundreds of Ford script oil cans, and two different ones that I have are the only ones of their types that I have seen. Both are made by Noera, and have the same 1908 patent date which some other types have, so that's not much help. I'm guessing that those two probably were styles the manufacturer tried out before settling in on a better/less costly design to produce in quantity. But that's just a guess; I don't think anyone knows for sure. The "Maple City" ones are very similar to one of the oddball Noera ones I have. I've seen only 4 or 5 of them, so I'm guessing (again) that they are concurrent with the odd Noera ones and relatively early, whatever that means. Did pre-T Fords and other cars come with oil cans? Does anyone have any info on that?
Getting back to the original post, the locum tenen said she has two brass oil cans. Lots of folks don't know the difference between copper and brass, and it's my guess that she meant they are copper.
On the other hand, I seem to recall that some time back, here on the forum, someone mentioned visiting the Eagle factory and they bought or were given a new brass oil can as a souvenir. So apparently Eagle did make some brass ones fairly recently. Maybe that is what the l.t. has. I just spent about 30 minutes searching for that thread but couldn't find it. Does anyone else remember that?
I seem to remember a discussion a long time ago about a NRS oilcan. I think there was a picture.
Thank you gentlemen. I will forward this discussion to her. After that, I think I want to get a period correct oil can and mount to place on the firewall of my 23 touring to oil the front shackles once in a while!
Our K has a clip for an oil can on the right front under the hood, just in front of the timer. We have a copper can with "Ford" in script. I don't know if it came with the car, but it fits the spring mount. However, I think it's possible it was originally intended as a primer can (gas). I've since found an "oil can" that says "gasoline primer can" on the side (not Ford).
I looked in the parts book (Model K) but didn't see "oil can" or "primer can" listed. I'll post pics of both tomorrow.
Rob
They're not all "oil" cans:
Suppose a person bought a new Ford runabout that didn't have a toolbox in back of the gas tank. I wonder where Ford would have put the tools and oil can?
Duh! I guess in the turtle deck!
To Mike Walker: I know this thread is a few months old, but I work at Eagle Manufacturing in Wellsburg, WV, and have seen a couple of these oilers in new condition at work. I'll ask a few co-workers for more details on when they were made. I could post a picture of one if interested.
They were given away in the grab bag at an MTFCI winter meeting in Wheeling, WV maybe 17-18 years ago. You can identify them by the "brass" paint or coating as opposed to the copper plate on the ones most of us are familiar with. The oil stem is about 1-1/2" longer than it was on the originals. I suspect that this part was being manufactured for use on an existing product at that time so rather than make a stem the proper length they just used the modern part. I believe the couple that contributed these goodies were the owners of the company if I recall correctly.
Allan, since owning a Ford Model A and a T, I have been "so impecunious" too.
Thanks, great word.
Allan,
Warn't you the T hobbiest from 'down under' that larned me the 'shooting brake' term a few months ago? . . . now its 'impecunious' . . . If I'm to stay on this Forum, guess I need to go into town to the general store and buy an Australian dictionary. . . . ;o)
Dan -- Thanks for any info.
Warren -- That does ring a bell. I'm glad you remembered those details. And now I recall seeing the "brass" paint and longer stem you mentioned. Thanks for the post.
Seems to me there is an article on oil cans in the current issue of the Vintage Ford.
The add. from Rob, mine is just like that I mean
the spout is about 8-9 inches, its steel and has Ford script and the tip is bent round like 45*
angle, perfect for hard to get at things. It just
could have been for a Fordson maybe??? got it for
nothing.
Larry remembers right. Roy Hess has a piece covering 16 Ford oil cans in the September/October Vintage Ford.