Petroleum Collectibles Monthly

July 2008 - Collection One Piece Gas Globes


Collecting One Piece Gas Globes
As stated in the globe books, there are basically three different types of one piece globes. The earliest globes are the etched one piece versions which can date from 1912 until 1926. No etched versions were made after 1926. Next were the fired or baked versions that date from 1926 until 1930. The last one piece globes that were made were the cast globes or raised letter globes that date from around 1930. We believe that some were made as early as 1926 but most were made later. There are a few other versions and some later one piece versions in the 1930s but most of these are non baked varieties specifically made for certain companies. I have seen cast one piece globes that were also etched. Bases can vary from the standard six inch to the rarer seven inch or the early four inch types. Most Standard company one piece globes, for instance, have seven inch bases.
The earliest one piece globes were the etched “Gasoline” or “Filtered Gasoline” globes that are very popular. Several versions and variations exist, probably about 35 different.
Many brand collectors have at least one version of the one piece globes in their collection. Most major companies used one piece globes albeit the prettiest ones, like most globes, came from the independents. Standard Oil Companies, Gulf, Texaco, Sinclair, Mobil, Pennzoil, White Eagle, Atlantic, D-X, Tydol, Pure, etc., all used one piece globes. Most of the older companies used the etched globes, then the baked on ones. So many collectors try and get both versions. Gulf Oil is notorious for using all three versions for their one piece globes. A few companies used the early chimney capped globes which are highly sought after because of their rarity. Ironically most Atlantic one piece globes are the rare chimney cap yet there is one known Atlantic Gasoline etched without the cap.
Standard Oil Crowns are one piece globes, yet since they used them from day one until the end of globes being used, only the early raised letter or etched ones are considered true one piece globes.
Some very early companies never got past the one piece globes. Though there are five different Mona Motor one piece globes known, there are no metal or glass versions from this company. This tells us about a company that lived and died in the 1910s or 1920s only. Vahey Oil Company out of Youngstown, Ohio, shares this very unique condition.
Sinclair Oil Company is known to have used nearly 30 different one piece globes from 1916 until 1930, though most people only know about the four main ones, Sinclair Gasoline, Oils, H-C and Aircraft. Texaco used at least a dozen different one piece globes. Many later companies never used a one piece globe, being too new for that distinction.
Mobil’s only one piece globe was an oil cabinet globe that is familiar to everyone. Actually they did use another one piece globe that is shaped like an oil can. I have seen only one of those globes. Webb Oil, O-B Gas, ADC Oil and Ford used a keyhole shaped globe. Cities Service used the familiar clover shaped globe and Texaco used the famous fireman’s hat globe of which very few exist.
Most collectors I know like the one piece globes and I know few collections that don’t have at least one in their collection. Most every major brand collector I know has at least one in their collection, so one piece globes are quite popular with them.
I have many one piece globes in my collection, over a third of them being Sinclairs. I do have several other brands and a few one-of-a-kinds which I enjoy immensely. The Texaco Gasoline and Motor Oils one piece etched chimney cap is one of my favorites. The two different Lighthouse globes, including the only known one piece baked Lighthouse Gasoline are also two other favorites of mine. I do enjoy the non picture one piece globes much as I enjoy the picture ones.
The most popular one piece globes are the independent brands and or the picture globes. Everyone would like a Musgo one piece globes which has a fired outer background and a detailed hand painted Indian in the center. No two are alike and there are over 80 known to exist, not really rare for such a “rare” globe. Red Hat one piece globes, Sinclair Aircrafts, White Rose with boy, Penndrake and Pennzoil globes are very popular because of the graphics. The Bolene one piece etched globe, is, to me, one of the best one piece globes I have ever seen. It pictures a detailed marine seal animal with water, ice, and mountains in the background. Any collector would like to own one of the above globes.
Etched globes are okay to restore and this is quite easy to do. Baked on one piece globes, lose most of their value, when restored. Cast one piece globes lose at least 20% when restored, except the Texacos, which lose at least 50% of their value.
One piece globes, as a whole, hold their value well. I feel, for what they are, that they fall below their actual value. The independent odd ball versions often bring less than what I believe should be a true value. However, our hobbyists to this day would rather pay $2,500 for a common picture globe than $2,500 for a one-of-a-kind one piece globe. I can see this to a point, and that point is only personal interest. Graphics, not rarity, sells in this hobby and that is fine. But for me, a rare one piece globe is much more interesting.

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