Antique-Vintage Fuel Can

This is a very nice, very old piece of American history, often used for kerosene or gasoline. You might find something similar, if not the same in the back of a Ford Model T, or at an early filling station, like the one below.

Being a collector myself, I was automatically drawn to this at a recycle-reuse center, which also happens to be great for picking. I think people like me would enjoy this can as well, especially if their niche happens to be early automotive paraphernalia. This is definitely a real piece of Americana.



This is a very interesting vintage abney level, made by Leupold, a maker of fine, precision instruments, and based out of Portland, Oregon. Leupold continues making fine products today. This level is worn from likely being used in the field. The crinkle paint is work around the edges, revealing its quality brass construction underneath. Unfortunately, the bubble is missing. This device was likely made in the 1930's-40's.

This level would look great on a shelf, or in the collection of anyone interested in surveying or geology. You can see more pictures on the Etsy-mini, along with a copy of the 1942 edition of Surveying by Charles B. Breed, in near-mint condition, which is sold seperately. These two would look great together on a shelf or in a collection.







Vintage/Antique Toolbox

I'm not really sure where exactly this toolbox came from, all I know is I re-discovered it in our barn. I remember distinctly that when I was probably in third grade, I was going to use it as my "Li'l Bastard" traveling supply kit, containing lawn darts, water balloons, bottles of water to fill the balloons, etc. However that plan didn't make it out of the hangar and I was left with a toolbox.



Vintage Metal Tool Box


A very nice patina developed from its oxidized green paint combined with weather and a bit of rust that has given it an almost antique bronze-like quality. It probably dates back to the Depression era. Whether this was used by a mechanic or in a warehouse or a factory of some sort, we'll leave you to guess. It would be a great decoration in your home, garage or office if industrial is your style preference. You can see more photos here.

Richfield Oil Co. Lubricant Oil Drum

I spotted this drum in a junk pile a neighbor was going to take to the scrap yard. Knowing that the contents in the pile were going to be melted down, I couldn't let this nice vintage lubricant can be turned into a toaster oven, so I brought it home.




Richfield Oil Five Gallon Oil Can

I did some research and found that Richfield Oil was a company based out of Los Angeles in the imposing Richfield Tower, which, sadly, was demolished in the late 60s. They owned Richfield service stations, and produced automotive oil and lubricants. Richfield merged with Atlantic Petroleum Storage Co. in 1966, becoming the Atlantic Richfield Company, better known as ARCO.



Richfield Tower, Los Angeles, California

We were able to date the drum to sometime between 1964 and 1966, after researching the drum's manufacturer, the Meyers Drum Company, which was founded in 1964. The inside is in mint condition, as you can see by the below photo.



This would be an excellent edition to your automotive or oil can collection, or in just in your garage. You can find more photos here, and I'm pretty sure you'll find the price is right!

Antique Armour's Butterine Sign

When I found this sign, I was at a garage sale in Anacortes, Washington, in a very old neighborhood (I seem to have good luck in older neighborhoods). Nothing really stood out at first, just an old Eastman-Kodak camera and several crates holding some tins and bottles. I then spotted a rusted piece of wrinkled metal sticking halfway out of an old picnic basket. I saw it had writing on it, so I pulled it out and realized it was an old sign. I ended up buying it and a vintage marjoram spice can. When I got home, I found a way online to clean off rust, which worked amazingly on the sign, as you can see in the pictures. I'm sorry I don't have any photos of it before the cleaning. Check out the square nail holes. You can see more pictures here.


Armour's Butterine Metal Advertising Sign

Butterine is a butter imitation developed in France by a chemist named Hippolyte Mege-Mouries in the late 1860s at a contest sponsored by Napoleon III for the best butter substitute. Butterine was one name for margarine, which is made from vegetable oil and animal lard, however now it is mostly vegetable oil. Along with other butterine manufacturers in America, Armour Inc. began producing butterine sometime in the late 1800s-early 1900s, and, being a meat processing company, used mainly animal fat and some other ingredients from their plant.

Anacortes is an old salmon fishing and cannery town, and this sign may very well have hung outside some kind of grocery or supply store. Makes you wonder how butterine and canned salmon tastes! :)

Introduction...

Hi, my name is Joe, I'm 12, and I collect and sell Americana on my Etsy store, Streamliner Vintage, hence my blog. Most of my inventory either comes from garage sales or our own storage room where a lot of stuff has accumulated, which I'm sure is inevitable for any "place of storage." I sold a Blenko mid-century modern decanter within the first hour of my store's opening, which has got to be some kind of record :)  I have very reasonable prices, and each of these items has a story with it, which you can find right here on the Streamliner Vintage blog.

Blenko Decanter #6224L, Jonquil