Value:$600–$1,500 (auction, as-found condition; if reproduction, $50–$150)
Maker's Marks / Writing:Text visible: “GASOLINE • MOTOR OIL”; “TEXACO” (partial due to hole); “REG. T.M.” below the star; “MADE BY THE TEXAS COMPANY” along the inner bottom rim.
Date:2025-09-22 19:52:41.989620
Description:
Large round porcelain-enameled steel advertising sign for Texaco, showing the classic red star with green ‘T’ and the legend GASOLINE • MOTOR OIL around the border. The center reads TEXACO (with bullet/impact loss obscuring part of the A) over the star; below appears REG. T.M., and along the inner bottom rim reads MADE BY THE TEXAS COMPANY. Heavy, single-piece porcelain with scattered rusting and chipping suggests an outdoor service-station use. Likely from a pole or wall mount.
Curator Questions
Curated by Jade
Assessment:
This appears to be an authentic early Texaco porcelain service-station sign using the classic red star/green T logo and the corporate phrasing “Made by The Texas Company,” a wording used prior to the formal corporate name change to Texaco Inc. The typography, layout, and presence of REG. T.M. are consistent with known 1920s–30s examples. Condition is rough with widespread porcelain loss, edge chipping, and multiple impact/bullet holes, which significantly affects value but also indicates real outdoor service. A word about fakes.. petroliana signs are heavily reproduced, often aged to deceive; without a view of the reverse, thickness, and grommets, final authentication requires hands-on inspection. If verified original, it is a desirable display piece despite condition.
Form, graphics, and exact wording (GASOLINE • MOTOR OIL; red star with green T; REG. T.M.; MADE BY THE TEXAS COMPANY) match well-documented Texaco station signs from the late 1920s–1930s, so identification of the object type is very certain.
Authenticity Score: 55%
Surface patina, oxidation, and period-correct typography support originality, but the category is heavily faked and we lack images of the reverse, thickness, and factory grommets/maker’s stamp. Conservative mid-level score pending confirmation. A word about fakes.. petroliana is rife with reproductions and artificially aged pieces; beware unusually light-gauge steel, glossy new enamel, incorrect fonts, or absence of period mounting holes.
Image Memory Note
The image shows a large round porcelain sign leaning outdoors against a light-colored wall near a yellow roll-up door. The sign features a red outer ring with white sans-serif letters reading “GASOLINE • MOTOR OIL.” The inner field is white with a large red five-pointed star. Across the star is the word “TEXACO” in black letters; the central “A” area is obscured by a round hole/impact, making it read visually as “TEX CO.” In the center of the star is a large green ‘T’ with dark outline. Below the star’s bottom point appears small black text “REG. T.M.” Along the inner lower border, in a curved line, black text reads “MADE BY THE TEXAS COMPANY.” Numerous rust blooms and porcelain chips are scattered across the face, especially around mounting holes and randomly across the white field and star. Several holes pierce the sign: at least one through the lettering in “TEXACO” and others near the top border around the letters “GASOLINE.” The rim exhibits edge chipping and bending; the metal substrate is visible in places with rust. No rear view, mounting bracket, or grommets are visible; size not provided but appears large (commonly 42–48 inches). No other marks, dates, or small factory stamps are visible in the provided view.
Keywords
Texaco, The Texas Company, Gasoline Motor Oil, porcelain sign, petroliana, service station advertising, USA, red star green T, 1930s
The report was edited after initial Artmink draft. Original AI draft preserved in Artmink audit history.
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