Don’t light a match to see what is down there in the bottom. LOL (a friend of mine actually did this and was rushed off to the hospital for facial burns)Darwin award winner.
Cool...Looks like a service station setup...
Very cool! I am in the petroleum equipment industry. I am sure I can find someone who would want to buy this.
Try the Rockefellers. They founded it.
Give me your address. I think the EPA needs to pay you a visit.
Maybe it’s a kerosene drum?
I bid 100 quatloos!
I use to live in Oklahoma and thought you might be interested in the following resources:
Drumright Historical
http://drumrighthistoricalsociety.org/
You might also ask about Cushing and Yale Oklahoma. They have some little museums, though I don’t think the Drumright one could be any smaller.
Oklahoma Historical Society
http://www.okhistory.org/
Tulsa Historical Society
http://www.tulsahistory.org/learn/earlytulsa/oil.htm
Ask these places if they might know someone who would want this.
I have never taken an interest in oil drums...or know anything about them. But yours looks really interesting. It has an unusual shape...kind of round at the bottom. The pump is a bit different and it all sits on the metal cart with the metal wheels. I like it and I hope you can find out more about it from someone here at Free Republic. Thanks for sharing!!
It doesn’t appear to be an crude oil drum but more like a finished product container. Check its bottom, does it have a drain connection? Judging by the handpump line, it may have been a kerosine, lube oil or chemical container.
Also try Halliburton Tools
This may be a museum piece and bring a "barrel" full of bucks. Maybe even Rockefeller himself will bid on it.
Whatever you do...DON’T CLEAN IT!
It is definitely a great find—a great conversation piece anyway. I’d love to have something like that in my machine shop....
I wouldn’t be in any rush to part with it, unless you have no space to keep it. I would just sit back and do some research...check on Ebay and craig’s list. If there is an antique dealer in your area, get a real appraisal. It’s sat around awhile, and it won’t hurt to let it sit awhile longer.
I think you have something fairly rare here. It looks to be very early 20th century, like the first decades early. I saw a texaco barrel and pump for 500, restored, you should call around to some museums. The museums likely won’t price them but can help you get in touch with a restorer and other people that can help you determine a price.
Perhaps it was used to dispense something like solvents or mineral spirits?
I’m guessing a Kerosene barrel. Given it’s apparent age, Kerosene was used a lot around farms, for lamps and for Kerosene heaters. There is a possibility that it is a gas can for farm use in an early tractor. Fuel storage containers were more often used on farms because it was too hard to get to town to buy fuel. We used to keep a large gas storage tank for our tractor circa 1952. The size of this one says Kerosene to me.