WW1 oil cans?
Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2017 5:33 pm
Anyone recognize these cans? They have a WW1 look to them. Both are OD with one being painted red over the OD.
Not excluding the possibility, most I've seen (from overseas photos) are the two gallon "Shell" company style, with diagonal handle which appears to have been used up to WWII with intro of the flimsy and then Jerry Can.
I've found OD does not mean it's military as a lot of industrial things were colored that way prior to the 20's.
Those you have appear to be designed to lay flat, with a hose to feed the oil to whatever device they were for, perhaps a large steam or ship engine, or an oil light from the front of a steam engine? or light house lamp?
My bet is the fictional gunboat USS San Pablo (The Sand Pebbles) where Steve McQueen takes care of the engine...something to store more than a drip feeder for the oiling system with a pipe to the desired end.
I suppose looking for machines that used Coal Oil and Lube Oil would be the best way to move forward. They would be neat in the side boxes of my Liberty Truck if I ever made progress toward building the bed, but I'm not sure they are anything related to vehicle issue items.
Neat find though.
V/R W Winget