Alemite Lubricating Equipment - Chicago, Illinois
1 9 4 0 - 1 9 4 5
First incarnation of their merchandiser & most rare
Produced during the War years, not many of these models were manufactured and shipped to dealerships.
1 9 4 5 - 1 9 4 8
Top windows, triple stainless trim, & a round emblem
Not built for many years, the windows and trim on this series make it one of the more desirable Alemite models.
1 9 4 8 - 1 9 5 5
More simple, single wide stainless trim
Most common and highly produced Alemite model. Only one with an emblem on the center of the lower bench.
Alemite 1940 - 1945
With flat stainless trim and replaceable kick-plates on the corners, some of the models had doors on both sides of the center bench and pockets behind for air equipment and a trash chute. All of these models had a single “roll-up” door to lock in your tools. In 1942 you could chose between the Master or Du Luxe Departmental Service Unit. The Master had less trim and the simple plastic flying A emblem. The Du Luxe had more customization options, like wood lettering for the top of the unit, and the chrome circle A logo. This unit was possibly designed by Ladislav Sutnar.
From at least 1941 thru the 50’s, you could order specialized emblems and signage for your Oil Co. or Car Dealership
Alemite 1945 - 1948
Art deco lines, lots of stainless trim, and artful badges set this model apart. This is the only Alemite model with a light-up window department / ad glass section. Some units during these years have aluminum side cabinets and pull-down doors rather than steel.
— Alemite Variations —
The 1945 unit below, is different from the rest in this series, in three ways. The pull down door is a 6-piece, straight down configuration, rather than a 3-piece stepped type. The side cabinet handles are slightly larger and more square. On the earliest models the top Alemite stamped emblem is not present and there was a simple cast trim corner in its place. Then in late ‘45 a small writing stamped emblem was produced.
We do not have a solid number on how many were built partially in aluminum, but everything except the top and bench have been seen in this metal. Watch out for weak spot welds.
This Gilmore styled Alemite was once owned by Boyd Coddington and also by his partner Jack Webb, who built 10 replicas of this cabinet with fiberglass tops and attached beer taps.
How to date your Alemite Merchandiser
On the back side of the lighting assembly is a electrical test date, stamped onto the ballast. This is as close to the manufacturing date as we have found on these units. i.e. 11/13/45
Alemite 1948 - 1955
Modular cabinet design, allowed multiple benches to be arranged in large lines or simply two cabinets together. Clean lines with three new Alemite emblems. During some later years of this run, benches were produced with an alternate round A emblem, and sometimes minus the lower bench badge. Narrow units with no cabinets and a shorter more stout model were also produced.
— More Alemite Variations —
The early 50’s Alemite models below are different from the rest in height and door configuration. Built for areas under windows or other low clearances, these units utilized all the same parts, but because of the modular design, only had smaller left handed swinging cabinet doors.
Allen sold this Alemite cabinet in a package with their Electrical testers. And here is a rare double wide bench, with an extended top.
The four different Alemite badges used on their merchandisers from 1940 through the 50's
