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 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.