Artmink

American Petroliana Texaco 'Gasoline Motor Oil' Porcelain-Enamel Advertising Sign

By: The Texas Company (Texaco), maker unspecified

Style: Americana / Petroliana Advertising

Origin: United States

Materials: Porcelain-enameled steel (porcelain on heavy-gauge steel)

Age: Circa 1936–1947

Condition: Fair (heavy porcelain loss, rusting, edge chipping, and extra puncture holes)

Value: $600–$1,000 (auction, as-is condition)

Maker's Marks / Writing: Front text: 'GASOLINE • MOTOR OIL' around border; 'TEXACO' across red star; 'REG. T.M.' under star point; 'MADE BY THE TEXAS COMPANY' along lower inner ring.

Date: 2025-09-25 04:11:10.848760

Description:

Large round single-sided porcelain-enameled steel advertising sign for Texaco, featuring the classic red star with green 'T' at center, bold 'GASOLINE • MOTOR OIL' legend around the perimeter in white on a red band, and 'TEXACO' across the star. Lower text reads 'MADE BY THE TEXAS COMPANY' with 'REG. T.M.' beneath the star. Surface shows scattered porcelain loss, rusting, edge chips, and several extra punctures consistent with long outdoor service.

Curator Questions

Curated by Jade

Assessment:

A classic mid-20th-century Texaco porcelain sign with desirable 'Gasoline Motor Oil' layout and red star/green T branding used pre-1950. The presence of 'MADE BY THE TEXAS COMPANY' and 'REG. T.M.' aligns with earlier branding conventions. Condition is worn with notable chipping, rust blooms, and multiple extra holes, which impacts value but also suggests honest outdoor use. Authentic examples are heavily reproduced; this piece shows aging patterns consistent with porcelain enamel (concentric rust haloing around chips and glassy fracture edges), but a back-side view and close-ups of grommet holes would help confirm. If authentic, it remains a collectible petroliana staple despite wear.

Individual Images:

whole item

Provenance:

No provenance provided.

Condition:

Fair (heavy porcelain loss, rusting, edge chipping, and extra puncture holes)

Identification Score: 95%

Distinctive Texaco red-star/green-T motif with 'GASOLINE • MOTOR OIL' outer ring and 'MADE BY THE TEXAS COMPANY' text precisely matches known Texaco porcelain sign designs from the late 1930s–1940s. Layout, typography, and phrasing are highly specific, so the object type and brand are very certain.

Authenticity Score: 55%

Appears plausibly old with correct period branding and convincing porcelain wear (edge chipping, rust haloing, and glass-like fracture at losses). However, many high-quality reproductions exist and can be artificially aged. Single photo only; no reverse, thickness, or maker/date stamp visible. A word about fakes.. Petroliana signs are among the most faked categories—request magnet test (steel base), inspection of layered vitreous enamel at chips, look for correct period mounting holes, grommets, and back-side patination; beware modern screen-printed steel with uniform rusting.

Image Memory Note

Object: A large round single-sided porcelain-enameled steel sign. Design: white field with central five-point red star, overlaid by a green capital 'T' and the word 'TEXACO' in black sans serif across the star’s upper arms. Outer ring in red with white sans serif letters spelling 'GASOLINE • MOTOR OIL' (dot separators). Lower inner curve includes 'MADE BY THE TEXAS COMPANY' in small black caps; tiny 'REG. T.M.' just below the lower point of the star. Color scheme: red, white, black, and green. Condition notes: extensive scattered rust spotting across white field; multiple porcelain chips around edge with exposed rusty steel; several puncture holes visible within the field (not just the standard mounting holes)—notably one through the letter 'O' of 'CO' in 'TEXACO' and others near the center; abrasions and flaking around perimeter; denting at rim in multiple areas. No reverse side shown. No visible manufacturer date codes or foundry stamps on the front. Scale: appears large (likely around 36–42 in. diameter) based on context against corrugated yellow storage door and concrete wall. Overall impression: authentic-appearing wear but cannot confirm without reverse and edge/gauge details.

Keywords

Texaco, Petroliana, Americana, Porcelain sign, Gasoline Motor Oil, The Texas Company, Advertising sign, United States, Red star, Green T, 1930s, 1940s

Report ID:  : d2k5v7

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