Bidspirit auction | Intelligent Can Kerosene Oil Can,

Intelligent Can Kerosene Oil Can, 1889 - An antique kerosene oil can featuring a cylindrical body and a conical top constructed from sheet metal. The piece is equipped with a wire bail handle supporting a turned wooden grip and a long, angled pouring spout. Parallel to the main spout is a secondary air tube which functioned as an overflow whistle mechanism to alert the user when a lamp was filled. The body of the can is decorated with embossed serif lettering providing usage instructions. The text reads: THE INTELLIGENT CAN. / DIRECTIONS. / SCREW THE TOP ON TIGHT. / INSERT SPOUT IN LAMP / TO BRACKET AND HOLD UNTIL / THE WHISTLE STOPS. / PAT. JAN. 15TH 1889. To the right of the date, additional smaller embossed text reads PAT'D ALSO FOR followed by two lines of illegible characters. A small chain is attached to the spout, which likely originally held a cap.