lynx42 Rick Cove Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Yes, packed in fours in a wooden crate. Known to be useless when they were first made but at the time it was the only thing that could be made with the facilities available. I think you will find that there were only two 4 gallon tins to a crate, not four.( A total of 8 gallons all up.) They were known as 'Flimsys'. Has anyone heard of BIG TREE MOTOR SPIRIT? This was a New Zealand company which started up in 1914. I have 3 of their 2 gallon tins now having purchased one on Ebay a couple of weeks ago. regards Rick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nz2 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Has anyone heard of BIG TREE MOTOR SPIRIT? This was a New Zealand company which started up in 1914. I have 3 of their 2 gallon tins now having purchased one on Ebay a couple of weeks ago. regards Rick. Big Tree was significant player in the NZ and Australian market place for petrol. From memory of researching NZ petrol companies there was a tie up with Shell or it may have been a common wholesale or transporting agent. This would have been in the time when garages selling petrol had pumps of various brands and it was the customers choice as to which brand to use. Going back to an earlier time with the petrol being delivered in tins with wooden boxes to protect then, those wooden boxes had the company name, logo etc painted on the ends. These boxes have become well sort after as collectable items for vintage vehicle collectors. Unfortunately the origin of the timber being soft wood and untreated means many boxes get borer or rot away. Doug :yawn: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Larkin Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 For most things you want to know about petrol tins and the general supply of petroleum during world war one a most interesting volume is " The Shell that Hit Germany the Hardest", by P.G.A.Smith, published 'Shell' Marketing, London c.1920. Usually can be found on ABE Books £20/£40. Well worth a read on this particular subject.Richard Peskett. Thanks Richard, Looks an excellent little book. It's also on Amazon as a modern POD copy, but they aren't the same as the originals are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I downloaded it for free off Google archive. very interesting stuff. Thanks Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nz2 Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Likewise taken a download. Interesting to read of the red painted tins holding aviation fuel. Have any survived? Doug:cheesy: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Larkin Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I downloaded it for free off Google archive. very interesting stuff. Thanks Tim I've got a few books I've downloaded, but there's nothing quite like having the real thing, is there, which is why I spent £24 on the original and not £8.00 on a modern copy. Anybody got some time they can lend me so I can read it properly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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