Stop 15
15A- Standard Oil Flame Gas pump Globe & American gas globe
15B- Pan-aM Premium Pump Globe & Amoco Gas Pump Globe
15C- Pure Oil & Purol-Pep Gas Pump globes
15D- Gulf sales Training Manuals
15A – Standard oil Flame pump Globe & American Gas Pump Globe
Top Shelf – Left:
This Standard Oil Flame-Shaped Gas Pump Globe, measuring 18″ x 13″, is a rare piece of petroliana from the 1920s-1930s. Constructed of molded glass with a red and white flame design, it bears the marking “Property of Std. Oil Co.” at the base.
Standard Oil, founded by John D. Rockefeller in 1870, dominated the American oil industry by the early 1900s. The flame design was a nod to the illuminating power of oil, a key selling point during an era when kerosene and gasoline were transforming transportation and lighting. The globe’s rarity lies in its shape—flame designs were less common than circular or square globes, making this piece a unique artifact of Standard Oil’s marketing evolution.
Fun Fact:
A Bright Idea: The flame design was inspired by the company’s early kerosene business, which lit homes before electricity became widespread.
Right: This circular gas pump globe features a vibrant blue, red, and yellow color scheme with the “American Gas” logo prominently displayed. Encased in a metal frame with an internal lens, the globe was designed to illuminate and advertise the American Gas brand at service stations.
Fun Fact:
Power to the People: American Gas often marketed itself as “The People’s Choice” in the 1940s, emphasizing affordability.
American Gas operated during a period when the oil industry was diversifying, with many regional brands emerging to serve local markets. In the 1940s and 1950s, the company likely supplied gasoline to independent stations in the Midwest and South, focusing on quality and affordability. While not as dominant as Standard Oil, American Gas contributed to the era’s car culture, providing fuel for the post-war boom in road travel and suburban expansion, a time when gas stations became cultural landmarks.
15B – Pan-AM Gas Pump Globes & Amoco Gas Pump globe
Second Shelf From Top – Left:
This Pan-Am Premium Gasoline Pump Globe, measuring 16″ x 15″, is a glass piece from the 1930s, featuring a red, white, and blue design with a sunburst logo.
Pan American Petroleum Corporation, founded in 1916, was a major oil producer in the U.S. and Latin America by the 1920s. It became known for its high-quality gasoline, particularly after merging with Standard Oil of Indiana in 1925, which later rebranded as Amoco. During its peak, Pan-Am was heavily involved in oil exploration in Mexico and Venezuela, and its stations were a common sight across the U.S. Southwest.
Fun Fact:
More Than North America:
Pan-Am was one of the first companies to drill for oil in Mexico, starting in 1917.
The company’s name was inspired by its operations spanning the Americas, from the U.S. to Venezuela.
Right: This Amoco Circular Gas Pump Globe, measuring 14″ x 13″, is a glass piece from the 1940s-1950s, featuring a red, white, and blue design.
Amoco, originally Standard Oil of Indiana, rebranded in the 1920s and became a major name in the U.S. oil industry by the mid-20th century. This globe is significant for capturing Amoco’s rise as a household name, reflecting a time when the company was expanding its footprint and innovating with gasoline and other products.
Fun Fact:
Getting Back To The Roots: In 1998, Amoco merged with BP, forming BP Amoco, which was later renamed to BP in 2001. In October 2017, BP announced the reintroduction of the Amoco brand to select US markets, leveraging the brand’s nostalgia.
15C -Pure Oil Gas Pump Globe & Purol-Pep PumP Globe
3rd Shef from Top- Left:
This 20″ x 15″ gas pump globe features the bold “PURE” branding of The Pure Oil Company, encircled by the text “PRODUCTS OF THE PURE OIL COMPANY” in a striking blue and white geometric border. Crafted with a metal frame and glass inserts, it was designed to sit atop gas pumps and illuminated from within to attract motorists. The simplicity of the design reflects an earlier branding style, emphasizing the company’s focus on quality petroleum products during the 1920s and 1930s, a time when gas stations were becoming key fixtures in American life.
Fun Fact:
Early Innovation: The Pure Oil Company was one of the first to build fireproof oil storage tanks in the late 1890s, a response to frequent oil field fires.
Right:
Measuring 19″ x 17″, this gas pump globe showcases the “PUROL-PEP” logo, a later branding effort by The Pure Oil Company to market a specific line of high-energy gasoline. The red, white, and blue color scheme, with “THE PURE OIL COMPANY, U.S.A.” encircling the name, highlights patriotic themes popular in mid-20th-century advertising. Like the Pure Oil Globe on it’s left, it features a metal frame with glass inserts, intended to glow atop a pump, drawing attention to the peppy performance of the fuel for drivers of the 1940s and 1950s.
Fun Fact:
Purol-Pep Slogan: The “Pep” in Purol-Pep stood for “Power, Energy, Performance,” a marketing tagline used in radio ads during the 1940s.
The Pure Oil Company was founded in 1895 in Pennsylvania, initially focusing on oil production before expanding into refining and retail by the early 1900s. By the 1920s, it had become a major player in the U.S., operating gas stations across the Midwest and South. The “Pure” branding, as seen on the first globe, emphasized reliability and quality during a time when fuel standards varied widely. In the 1930s, the company introduced “Purol-Pep,” a high-octane gasoline aimed at improving engine performance, reflecting the growing demand for better fuels as car ownership surged. The logo’s evolution from “Pure” to “Purol-Pep” mirrors the company’s shift toward marketing specialized products. Pure Oil merged with Union Oil Company of California (Unocal) in 1965, and its branding largely disappeared by the 1970s, making these globes rare relics of a bygone era in petroliana.
15D -Gulf Sales Training Manuals
Bottom Shelf: This collection features vintage sales training materials from Gulf Oil Corporation. These items include two manuals and a small sign, all designed to train service station employees on sales techniques during the mid-20th century.
Fun Fact:
Training Innovation: Gulf was one of the first oil companies to implement formal sales training programs in the 1930s, setting an industry standard.
Left: This manual, titled “The Gulf Sales Training Program,” was a key tool for training service station attendants in the 1940s. Inside, it provided detailed instructions on customer service, upselling techniques, and product knowledge, reflecting Gulf Oil’s commitment to professionalizing its workforce during a time when full-service stations were the norm.
Right: The “Service Station Selling” manual from the 1950s, showcases Gulf’s evolving branding with a detailed illustration of a service station and the orange Gulf logo. This guide was used to train attendants on effective sales strategies, emphasizing the importance of customer interaction and product promotion. The manual’s vibrant design and focus on “Gulfspray” products highlight the company’s push to diversify its offerings beyond gasoline during the post-war automotive boom.
Fun Fact:
Gulfspray Product: Gulfspray, mentioned in the manual, was an insecticide Gulf marketed in the 1950s, showing their diversification into non-fuel products.
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