Krag Round Oiler

[thorin6]

Does anyone know how rare these are?

[free1954]

they are not common, or easy to find .i've never seen one for sale.

[butlersrangers]

Extremely rare .... I've only ever seen one for sale and it was missing its cap and applicator.

[Dick Hosmer]

Basically unheard of these days. Have never (knowingly) seen one in person. Old story, which may or may not be true, is that a LOT of them wound up being used with sewing machines. Unfortunately, they are not marked, so you'd have to know exactly what you are looking for.

[Kragrifle]

Here is what they look like. I am aware of the one for sale about 10 years ago that was dented and missing the cap/applicator. One changed hands at the Baltimore show about 5 years ago,

[Kragrifle]

[thorin6]

I used the pictures over on the Krag Collectors Association to verify the oiler before I bought it off ebay. It was advertised as a flask from a veteran of the 31st Infantry Division from WW2. I've never seen one in the flesh until this. Still has oil in it. Someone scratched the number 66 in Roman Numerals (LXVI) on one side, but other than a small dent on the other side, it's in very good condition.

[Dick Hosmer]

Great pics, great find - congratulations!

[Kragrifle]

Wow

[free1954]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]46810[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]46811[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]46811[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]46812[/ATTACH]

nice. were these issued with any particular model or year?

[Kragrifle]

This is from Mallory’s book. One wonders where all those oilers ended up. Most likely in the same hole where they buried all those early Krag rifle cleaning rods!

[free1954]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]46814[/ATTACH]

This is from Mallory’s book. One wonders where all those oilers ended up. Most likely in the same hole where they buried all those early Krag rifle cleaning rods!

maybe bannerman got them. thanks for the reply.

[thorin6]

Finding one on ebay shows that they are out there, although no one knows where.
Although I don't intend to sell mine (like everyone else that has collected Krags at one time or another this has been on my want list for a long time), would any care to venture a value? Like a lot of things, rarity doesn't necessarily equal high value. I've had a discussion with a dedicated Krag collector and we sort of settle on $300-400, but then we didn't have one in front of us.

[Dick Hosmer]

I wouldn't disagree with that valuation. For most people (I believe) while accessories are "nice", the ARMS are the thing. And, at this point in my life (collecting AND physical) I don't think I'd pay that much if I found one - I'm at the "if I cannot flat out STEAL it, I'll do without" phase.

[thorin6]

I wouldn't disagree with that valuation. For most people (I believe) while accessories are "nice", the ARMS are the thing. And, at this point in my life (collecting AND physical) I don't think I'd pay that much if I found one - I'm at the "if I cannot flat out STEAL it, I'll do without" phase.

Thanks Dick, I would agree with that statement as I wouldn't pay that much (and as an aside, didn't) for a pocket oiler. On the other hand, it's nice to have one.
One other thing, I noted the seller's comment that the oiler came from a Veteran's estate, and it appears he was in the 31st Infantry Division. One of their campaigns was in the Philippines, and I'm wondering if most of these pocket oilers (based upon the exert posted in this thread) went to the Philippines for use during the Philippine Insurrection. If I remember right we were fighting there until 1902, and after than fought the Moros in the southern Philippines. It may just be that most of the oilers didn't come back from that theater, and that the Veteran picked this up while in the Philippines in WW2. Just a theory, nothing much more to go on.