Oil Bins Identification
Oil Bins
This article describes the types and styles of Oil Bin that may be sold as or confused for Dinky Toys.
Introduction
This article discusses the Oil Bins that may be found on sales at Internet Auction Sites, Swap Meets etc. The list is not necessarily exhaustive. In the post War period particularly many small firms started to make diecast items. Some Oil Bins still have yet to be identified as to the manufacturer.
This article covers those Oil Bins manufactured by the UK Meccano Ltd. Company, Dinky Toys and other manufacturer’s production.
Image
The following image shows a selection of Oil Bins from major manufacturers.
As in all the accessory identification articles the Dinky Toys item is on the top left. This is the 49e Pratts Oil Bin. This one is a pre-war example as the Pratts logo was left off after the war.
Identification
Early Dinky Toys Oil Bins (49 series) are clearly marked on the back, “Dinky Toys, Made in England by Meccano Limited”. These sets were numbered 49, pre war and early post war or 780 later post war.
Top row
|
Make |
Notes |
|
Dinky Toys |
Pre-war 49e Example with Pratts Motor Oil logo. Post war version is plain yellow. Marked on back “Meccano Dinky Toys” |
|
Barrett and Sons Castrol |
Marked on back B&S. This was post war production after Taylor and Barrett split into separate companies. |
|
Britains, Shell X-100 , #10V |
Marked on back Britains. Post war. |
|
Crescent |
His Bin as issued with a rare Crescent Series Garage set. Pre-war |
|
Kew |
Marked “Kew”. Pre war |
|
Johillco |
Not marked |
|
Kay |
Appears in Kay Safety First Sets, post war. |
Second Row
|
Make |
Notes |
|
Taylor and Barrett |
Missing insert, marked on back T&B. Pre-war |
|
Timpo |
Early 1950s. Made from a composition material Timpolene. This was used for a few garage figures as well. At the time there were metal shortages. |
|
Timpo Essolube |
Later Timpo metal oil bin. Post war |
|
Wardie Essolube |
Wardie (F J Ward & Co) post war bin. Interesting that in the Christies Auction of the Philip Dean collection, the Wardie boxed sets had Britains Oil Bins in them. Note both Wardie and Britains Oil bins fit the slots in Ward boxes. |
|
Unidentified |
Pre war |
|
Unidentified |
MT is company. Pre-war, nothing is documented in the books about this manufacturer. The author as two Bins and an oil bin marked MT. This is listed in Joplin’s Great Book of Hollow Cast Toys as “Unidentified”. |
|
Unidentified |
Post War |