Article: A Register of Original Singer Oil Cans, Bottles, and Jugs
A Register of Original Singer Oil Cans, Bottles, and Jugs
The number of variations and sizes of original Singer oil cans, bottles, and jugs are beyond counting! Displayed here are all the original oil cans and bottles that we have observed. Many are from our collection here at the Featherweight Shop, many are from Craig Solomonson's vast collection, and some have been shared from other Singer collectors.
Take a stroll/scroll along the shelves of this archive and notice the variations in logos, colors, materials, price and size of these original containers and dispensers.
Containers and Dispensers in the USA:
Glass Bottles:
Glass bottles were the first containers used for holding Singer oil. It is impossible to apply just one drop of oil to each sewing machine oiling point with these bottles; thus, they were used to hold quantities of oil that would be transferred into metal thumb oilers.
I.M. Singer
The Singer Manufacturing Company
This is the next earliest known bottle.
The Singer Mfg. Co. N.Y.
The Singer Manfg. Co.
Notice how the principal office is 149 Broadway.
The Singer Mfg. Co. N.Y.
The Singer Manfg. Co.
The Singer Mafg. Co.
Extra Quality #1
2 Ribs Dotted S
Single Rib Dotted S
3oz Lubricates Everything
3 Fluid Ounces Lubricates Everything
Contents 3 Fl Oz
Specially Prepared
Thumb Oilers:
As mentioned prior, thumb oilers went hand in hand with the glass bottles, serving as the actual delivery method for the oil to the machine. The earliest variations are unmarked but verified by the parts lists from the machines they would have accompanied.
7" Tall - Issued with Model 10, 11, 41, 44, etc.
3.5" Tall - Issued with Model 27
2.75" Tall - Issued with Model 24, 88
Copper Plated Half-Twist Spout
Fine Threaded Brass Caps
Made in USA Stamped Cap
Coarse Threaded Made in USA
Not Plated Made in U.S.A. on Back
Plated, Plain on Back
Shiny Copper Plate, Plain on Back
Steel, 3.5"
Plated, 3.5"
Painted, 3.5" Made in USA on Back
Plated, 3.5" Made in USA on Back
Painted, 3.5" Eagle
Handy Oilers:
Sealable and dispensable, many of these recognizable cans from Singer are the most common ones found with our beloved Singer Featherweights. The little cans are 1.33 ounces, and the larger cans are 3 ounces.
Household Oil 1.33, Singer Sewing Machine Company No Price
Household Oil 3, No Price
Household Oil 3, Singer Sewing Machine Company - 20 Cents
Household Oil 1.33, Singer Sewing Machine Company - 10 Cents
Sewing Machine Oil 1.33, Singer Sewing Machine Company
Upside-down goof
Sewing Machine Oil 3, Singer Sewing Machine Company
Upside-Down Goof
Sewing Machine Oil 1.33, The Singer Manufacturing Co.
Sewing Machine Oil 3, The Singer Manufacturing Co.
Sewing Machine Oil 3, Singer* a Trademark Wider Can (2.5" Wide)
Sewing Machine Oil, Plastic Spout The Singer Manufacturing Co.
New Color Handy Oilers
Singer's color scheme changed in the late 1950s to pink and green. Some oil cans from this era are oval and hold 3oz. The later cans are rectangular and hold 4oz.
Singer* a Trademark 3oz
The Singer Manufacturing Company 3oz - 30 Cents
The Singer Manufacturing Company 4oz. - 30 Cents
Singer Company with Words in Logo 4oz - 30 Cents
Singer Company with Plain Logo 4oz - 30 Cents
The Singer Company Zip Code 4oz - 30 Cents
The Singer Company Zip Code 4oz - 39 Cents
Singer Company 4oz - 75 Cents
While there were oil cans produced by Singer after the pink/red and green ones, we have only cataloged the ones just past the Featherweight era.
Large Containers and Jugs:
Ranging in size from one quart to five gallons, these rare cans wouldn't have been available for purchase, but were rather for the shops to use for refilling smaller bottles.
Paper Label 1qt Jug
Paper Label 1qt (.946 Liters) Jug
Paper Label 1/2 Gallon Jug
Cream Border 1qt Can
Cream Border 1/2 Gallon Jug
Cream Border 1 Gallon
Cream Border 1 Gallon - Family Sewing Machine Oil
Orange Stripe 1qt Can - Singer Sewing Machine Company
Orange Stripe 1qt Can - Type C Oil
Orange Stripe 1qt Can - Family Sewing Machine Oil
Orange Stripe Half Gallon Can
Orange Stripe 1 Gallon Jug - Singer Sewing Machine Company
Orange Stripe 1 Gallon Jug - The Singer Manufacturing Company
5 Gallon Can - The Singer Manufacturing Company
Pink/Red and Green 1qt Type C Manufacturing Machine Oil, Elizabeth, NJ
Pink/Red and Green 1qt Family Sewing Machine, New York
Pink/Red and Green 1qt Family Sewing Machine Oil - Danger
Pink/Red and Green 1qt Type C Manufacturing Machine Oil - Danger
Pink/Red and Green 1 Gallon Family Sewing Machine Oil
Containers and Dispensers in the UK:
Glass Bottles:
Singer's production in the UK didn't begin nearly as early as in the USA, so there aren't very many early glass bottle variations. Both observed have a green colored glass.
The Best Oil
Singer Oil - Contents 8fl. oz
Thumb Oilers:
We haven't seen any large thumb oilers from Great Britain, but there were small home-use ones and some of them even came with the Featherweight.
Small Singer Font
Medium Font
Thumb Oiler with Plastic Spout
Medium Font with Rounded 'N'
Handy Oilers:
Notice how the handy oilers manufactured in the UK have the spout at the side of the top instead of the middle.
Singer Oil - Extra Quality 3oz
Singer Oil - Extra Quality 1.33oz, Badge Logo
Singer Household Oil, No Printed Size 1.33oz
Singer Household Oil 1.33oz - Fluid Ounces Net
Singer Household Oil 3oz
Sewing Machine Oil - Singer Sewing Machine Company 1.33oz
Sewing Machine Oil - Singer Sewing Machine Company Ltd. Large Contents Font 1.33oz
Sewing Machine Oil - Singer Sewing Machine Company Ltd. Small Contents Font 1.33oz
Sewing Machine Oil 3oz - Singer Sewing Machine Company
Machine Oil 3oz - Singer Sewing Machine Company Ltd.
Sewing Machine Oil 3oz - The Singer Manufacturing Co.
Sewing Machine Oil Plastic Spout 3oz - Singer* a Trademark
Sewing Machine Oil 3oz - New Logo
Pink/Red and Green Cans:
Oval 3oz - The Singer Manufacturing Co.
Oval 3oz - The Singer Company
Larger Containers and Jugs:
Very few large containers and jugs have been seen in the UK. Below are the ones known to exist.
Singer Oil Extra Quality - Cork Top
Singer Oil Extra Quality - Pierce with Sharp Instrument
Oval Can 3oz - Screw Top
Square Red with Brown Label - Round with Brown Label
1/4 Imp. Gallon with Paper Label
Containers and Dispensers in Canada
The oil cans used in Canada came primarily from the USA, and there are almost no distinctly Canadian oil cans known to exist. Below is what we have seen from Canada.
Quebec Factory Anniversary Can
Containers and Dispensers in France
Glass Bottles from France:
Huile Singer - Green Cap
Thumb Oilers from France:
Large Font
Handy Oilers from France:
Huile Singer Plastic Spout 3oz - Previent La Rouille
Huile Singer Pour Spout 3oz - Previent La Rouille
Plastic Bottles from France:
Huile Singer* - de Singer Mfg Co.
Huile Singer - Singer Sewing Company
Larger (and smaller) Containers from France:
Huile Singer Square - Cork Top
Huile Singer Cork Top - Imported from the United States of America
Huile Singer 1 Liter - #1
Huile Singer 1 Liter - #2
Huile Singer 1 Liter - #4
Micro Single Use Oil Pouches
Oil Containers and Dispensers from Australia
The oil containers from Australia rarely indicate where they were produced and are usually just slightly different from the containers used in the UK.
Handy Oilers specific to Australia:
Sewing Machine Oil .0,852dl
Square Can with Singer Strap - 4oz
Larger Oil Cans from Australia:
Sewing Machine Oil - .5 Liter Can
Oil Containers and Dispensers from Spain
Glass oil Bottles from Spain:
Aceite with Screw Top - 4" Tall
Handy Oilers from Spain:
Aceite Para Usos Domesticos - 4 Centilitros
Metal Spout Calidad Superior
Plastic Spout Bright Green - New Logo
Oil Containers and Dispensers from Italy
Thumb Oilers from Italy:
Singer - Red Letter
Singer Centennial Edition
Handy Oilers from Italy:
Olio Singer 1/2 Decilitro - New Logo
Olio Singer 3 Once Fl.
Larger (and smaller) Oil Cans and Jugs from Italy:
Olio Compagnia Singer 1/2 Decilitro - Screw Top
Larger Oil Cans/Jugs from Italy:
Olio Treadle Logo Screw Cap
Olio Sopraffino Small Screw Cap
Large Qualita Superiore
Light Green 1 Decilitro Square, Screw Cap
1 Decilitro, Screw Cap
Oil Containers and Dispensers from Germany
Glass Oil Bottles from Germany
Metal Screw Cap
Bests Oel Plastic Cap Taller
Bestes Oel Plastic Cap Short with Box
Thumb Oilers from Germany
Brass Singer
Handy Oilers from Germany
World Famous - 3oz
Larger Oil Cans and Jugs from Germany
Screw Top SPRECHMASCHINEN
Plastic Screw Cap SPRECHMASCHINEN
1 Liter Fur Nähmaschinen
5 Liter Bestes
Other Bottles from Germany
Plastic Singer with Screw Spout
Oil Containers and Dispensers from Sweden
Glass Oil Bottles from Sweden
Singer Sewing Machine Co. Cork Top
Handy Oilers from Sweden
3 oz Basta Olja
1 Pipen Förhindrar Rost
Oil Containers and Jugs from Greece
Glass Oil Bottles from Greece
Cork Top Paper Label
Bakelite Cap and Original Box
Oil Containers from Other Countries:
3oz - Arabic
Are you a Singer oil can collector or looking to become one? Check out our rare oil can inventory over in our Collector's Corner! If you have a Singer oil can that isn't featured in this register, please email us a photo so we can add it here with credit to you.