I think it's pretty clear that these were common well into the 60s. My chrome Hetchins, which has a well documented build date of late 1965, has one.
Steve Maas Long Beach, CA
Edward Albert wrote:
> Fred,
> My Hetchins Europa track bike came with a BB oiler and the serial number
> and original owner reliably date it to 1965.
> Edward Albert
> Chappaqua, NY, USA
>
>>>> Fred Rafael Rednor <fred_rednor@yahoo.com> 03/15/07 10:50 AM >>>
> The seller - Steven Maasland - is on the list, so perhaps he
> can fill in the details. But even if he had found this frame
> bare and unpainted - and without a headbadge - there really
> would be no doubt of it being a Cinelli. The seat stay
> treatment and seatpost diameter are really accurate indicators.
>
> Considering when this frame must have been built, I'm not
> surprised that it has a bottom bracket shell with an unused
> oiler boss. In some cases, the oilers persisted into the late
> 1950s and this frame was built only a few years later. No
> doubt there were all sorts of frame building supplies sitting
> on workshop shelves - for several years - that needed to be
> used up.
>
> I think it gives the bike a real mark of distinction, linking
> it to an earlier era in a very charming way.
> Regards,
> Fred Rednor - Arlington, Virginia (USA)