MTFCA Forum

Looking at Ford script hand oiler cans, how can on tell a T era can from a Model A era can? How can one tell an original T can from a reproduction T can, as I know they used to be reproduced (I have one)?

I believe the Vintage Ford had a big article on Ford oil cans. At this point I remember some things I've seen, but can't tell you when I saw them.

Years ago I saw on the forum, a member who bought, what he said, was an original for an outlandish price on eBay. There followed, a long discussion with pictures of originals versus repros which came in steel and brass. I could not tell the difference except that the originals were rusty and worn and had a patina that happens only through age. I don’t think the originals ever came in brass, but were all steel. If you do a search of “MTFCA, Ford script oil cans”, you might be able to find the thread.

I have several originals (steel) that appear to have been copper flashed.

Thanks for the replies, but no one, yet, has mentioned anything about the difference between Model T and Model A cans. I think I remember something about the cans with Ford script and the capital letter " E " being a Model A can, or am I wrong? Also, some cans had a large Ford script and some had the script in smaller size. Which came first, the ckicken or the egg?

ModelTWoods wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 18, 2025 11:13 am

Thanks for the replies, but no one, yet, has mentioned anything about the difference between Model T and Model A cans. I think I remember something about the cans with Ford script and the capital letter " E " being a Model A can, or am I wrong? Also, some cans had a large Ford script and some had the script in smaller size. Which came first, the ckicken or the egg?

I haven't found a definitive answer to your question but some bits of information.
Mike Walkers considered the expert of oil cans wrote an article in Vintage Ford sometime prior to 2016
Larry Smith had identified a discrepancy in judging rules in 2016 that didn't agree with Mike's report

Now here is a separate issue from my searches. The top indicated the manufacture of the oil can when produced. Maple City and Noera on early cans. Cans marked with an "E" may have been for Eagle manufactured oil cans. But tops may interchange so its possible that some scripted bases have a top from another can or even a non-Ford manufacturere


By Charles W. Little South Paris, Maine on Thursday, December 01, 2016 - 11:44 am:
According to the Model A Judging Guidelines, Ford supplied oil cans with the Model A until May of 1928 (the A was introduced Dec 2, 1927) so only the first 5 months of production was supplied with an oil can. David Adair, in his "Guide to Tools for the Model A", states" ...oil can is same as the late Model T. Model T cans may have a larger script."
However, given the various style cans I have seen with small script I would think that both large and small script cans must have been supplied with the Model T. Approx. 165,000 Model A's were produced through May 1928. Of course they probably sold oil cans through dealers.

Some links to pictures of cans
viewtopic.php?t=27921
https://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/5 ... 1480712996
https://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/1 ... 1295785509

Eagle had stopped making Ford Oil Cans, but Cliff Jenkins organized a 1984 New York to Seattle Cross Country Tour and met someone that owned that factory in West Virginia and they agree to do a small run of about 50 to 100 oil cans for the members that went on the tour.

That one with the E on the can looks like one of those special oil cans.

In September of 1992 I passed on an all brass Ford script can at the Gawler swap meet in my home town. At the time my US friend commented that $50 was a bit steep, so we gave it a miss and headed interstate for national model T Rally. I have never seen another brass one. I agree that some, if not all were copper plated.
Allan from down under.

I have this one that is copper and nickel plated.

The early oil cans are quite different from the later oil cans, and have the Ford script in two places.

The rest of the story is they were made in West Virginia by a member of the Paul family that made 50 specials using original 1922 dies and the E was added to keep the metal from warping.

Cliff Jenkins has the rest of this story his book, "My first 50 Years".