Posted 1 year ago
Seeingitself
(2 items)
I bought this item at an estate sale years ago, It is an art deco stylized auto fluid lube gun from the 1930's (I believe) due to its very 'Flash Gordon' deco look. It's 20 & 1/2'' long. Its very heavy streamlined chromium steel case makes it look like a weapon Flash might have brandished. I have researched it to death for years, but have never found one like it. The maker is MPLS Graco and the model number is 201480. It reads 'Fluid Lube' on the circular name plate. Would be interested in knowing if anyone knows anything about these. Thanks.
Very cool, I'd like to find one for my collection!
MPLS is an abbreviation for Minneapolis. Graco was founded and based there. Originally named The Gray Company..
"Brothers Russell and Leil Gray incorporated Gray Company in April 1926 during the height of the “Roaring Twenties.” The Gray brothers launched the company to manufacture and market an air-powered, portable lubricator Russell invented while working as a parking lot attendant. His big idea emerged as he fumbled with a manual grease gun in freezing Minneapolis temperatures that turned grease into thick sludge. The Gray brothers had a “start-up” and we began operations at 120 South Tenth Street in Minneapolis."
If you go to Graco home page they have historic product catalog, good luck
Sorry forgot to add the history link..
https://www.graco.com/us/en/about-graco/history.html
This is from 2010, so I assume the gentleman has passed or he'd be over 100. But you can see that Graco has a showroom of vintage equipment at their headquarters. I would suggest contacting them and asking for their assistance since it seems there's little information on this.
https://www.presspubs.com/shoreview/news/retired-engineer-collects-restores-vintage-graco-lube-equipment/article_964b4ae8-f68f-53cf-a56b-4f95b9952cf7.html
Might try contacting these guys..
https://www.servicemerchandisers.com/blog/2021/12/18/graco-gray-co-history
Thanks for all the info, I had already searched Graco's homepage, all I found was the catalog info. The catalog says it is an 'L. P. (Low Pressure?) Push Gun', and gives a manual no. No pics or description.
That is beautiful.