Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Showcase and Stories, Petroliana The Art of the Service Station

Just can't get enough of that artistic service station stuff. Here are some more from Robert Stephens.

I like the perspective on this Sinclair map looking through the windshield and back at the station.



These Richfield maps are just awesome. Makes me want to go see that neon eagle all lit up over at Mendenhall's again.





Keep them coming!

PURE STATION FROM A MAP COVER

LEONARD STATION FROM A 1967 MAP COVER

Early Rock Island Refinery map cover.



Chuck

Here is an example of a company looking for simpler design mentioned earlier.
This painting by Cal Sechrest©1996 shows The Ohio Oil Companies desire to find a graphic that was easier to reproduce, when they changed their name in 1962.


Chuck

1950's Matchbook cover

I like that Marathon graphic. It actually shows a company promoting getting rid of a stylish logo and replacing it with a bland one (Think about the Richfield Eagle and the new "ARCO" logo too). Was there a move on in the country to stop using mythological symbols and animals to promote products or was it just a change in style and fads???

A couple more of what I consider the more stylish versions of station graphics



I like the look of the giant gas pump looming over the little station below on this Dixie graphic.



Here is the more streamlined Frank Llyod Wright graphic style of the late 50's or early 60's

Curt,
Don't know about any movement to do away with animals or mythical figures.
Atlantic and Richfield merged to create ARCO....Atlantic Richfield Corporation.
I think most companies changed their logos and re-imaged their stations as an effort to maintain a modern image to their customers.

Conoco did away with the familiar triangle logo in favor of their oval logo.

Phillips 66 kept the same logo but changed the colors.

Sinclair dropped the old H-C signage and colors in favor of the "dino" trapazoid logo.

Marathon's use of Pheidippides in it's 2002 Celebration Logo was the last time the company will allow his use in a company logo or promotion. They want to move on to more modern designs for the future.

What I was getting at was the overall change in advertising concepts to a more streamlined and minimalistic approach, probably in keeping with the direction of architecture and interior design. I would argue that what interests us as collectors is the brilliant colors and vivid graphic designs of the various company logos and advertising products.

You guys that collect globes know that often it is the multi-colored and graphic globes that command much higher prices than the bland or simple ones. Same for signs and oil cans for the most part.

We lost that imagination and vividness somewhere in the 60's and 70's and so far haven't seen it make a comeback. Maybe it never will.

Makes for a good debate anyhow.

Let's see some station advertisements from magazines. Who has the old issues???

C'mon, I know there's more station art out there. I have some more to post too so let's see what you've got!

Tresler Comet

Here is some more Nifty 50's station art to go with our collection.







[This message has been edited by the poor mans museum (edited 05-11-2006).]

The full serve island sign should have been left out of this picture from a 1980's dealer booklet.


[This message has been edited by Dave Rowlison (edited 05-12-2006).]

ROYALITE