{"product_id":"esso-petrol-pump-globe-new-old-stock-with-box","title":"Esso Plastic Petrol Pump Globe New Old Stock With Box","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"40\" data-end=\"500\"\u003eThis Esso Extra plastic petrol pump globe is a later example of one of the most recognisable symbols in motoring history. Designed to sit atop a petrol pump, the globe served both as brand advertising and a practical indicator of fuel type. This particular piece represents the Esso Extra grade, a premium fuel offered by Esso during the mid-20th century, and it remains in remarkable condition as new old stock with its original protective wrapping and box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"502\" data-end=\"520\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"502\" data-end=\"518\"\u003eItem Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"521\" data-end=\"911\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"521\" data-end=\"570\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"523\" data-end=\"570\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"523\" data-end=\"540\"\u003eManufacturer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Esso Petroleum Company Ltd.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"571\" data-end=\"616\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"573\" data-end=\"616\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"573\" data-end=\"585\"\u003eProduct:\u003c\/strong\u003e Esso Extra petrol pump globe\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"617\" data-end=\"668\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"619\" data-end=\"668\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"619\" data-end=\"632\"\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Plastic (acrylic or polyethylene)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"669\" data-end=\"699\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"671\" data-end=\"699\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"671\" data-end=\"682\"\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e United Kingdom\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"700\" data-end=\"733\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"702\" data-end=\"733\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"702\" data-end=\"713\"\u003ePeriod:\u003c\/strong\u003e Circa 1960s–1970s\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"734\" data-end=\"911\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"736\" data-end=\"911\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"736\" data-end=\"756\"\u003eDesign Features:\u003c\/strong\u003e White globe with the Esso oval logo in red and blue, “Extra” in bold blue lettering beneath, mounted on a screw or clamp base for fitting onto pump tops\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"913\" data-end=\"1297\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"913\" data-end=\"938\"\u003eHistorical Background\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"938\" data-end=\"941\"\u003ePetrol pump globes were a key feature of forecourts throughout the first half of the 20th century. Originally made from glass, these globes were illuminated from within to display the brand name or specific fuel type. By night, they acted as beacons, drawing motorists to the pump, and by day they provided strong visual identity in a competitive market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1299\" data-end=\"1638\"\u003eEsso, a subsidiary of Standard Oil (later ExxonMobil), introduced “Esso Extra” in the postwar years as a high-performance fuel aimed at delivering smoother engine operation and greater efficiency. The “Extra” grade was heavily promoted throughout the 1950s and 1960s as part of Esso’s commitment to innovation and premium-quality petrol.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1640\" data-end=\"2044\"\u003eBy the late 1960s, plastic had begun to replace glass as the preferred material for petrol pump globes. Plastic was lighter, less fragile, and easier to mass-produce, allowing service stations to maintain a clean, modern look while reducing breakage costs. This example reflects that transition period, when Esso modernised its station equipment and branding to match the evolving design of fuel pumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2046\" data-end=\"2397\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2046\" data-end=\"2069\"\u003eDesign and Branding\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"2069\" data-end=\"2072\"\u003eThe Esso logo, consisting of red lettering within a blue oval, was first introduced in the 1930s and became one of the most recognisable trademarks in the world. The “Extra” designation, in block blue letters, added a sense of performance and reliability, appealing to postwar motorists who valued both quality and economy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2399\" data-end=\"2646\"\u003ePlastic globes such as this one were typically backlit by a bulb mounted inside the pump. When illuminated, the white background would glow softly, highlighting the bright red and blue logo and making the brand name visible even from a distance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2648\" data-end=\"3016\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2648\" data-end=\"2673\"\u003eContext and Evolution\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"2673\" data-end=\"2676\"\u003eThroughout the 1950s to 1970s, petrol companies competed fiercely for brand recognition, and the petrol pump globe became an essential part of that visual language. Esso’s consistent use of clean, bold lettering and simple colour schemes helped to reinforce its identity and distinguish its forecourts from those of Shell, BP, and others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3018\" data-end=\"3290\"\u003eBy the late 1970s, illuminated branding began shifting to flat plastic panels and vinyl decals, and the iconic globe gradually disappeared from petrol stations altogether. As a result, surviving examples — particularly unused ones — have become prized collector’s items.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3292\" data-end=\"3591\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3292\" data-end=\"3321\"\u003eCollectibility and Legacy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"3321\" data-end=\"3324\"\u003eToday, petrol pump globes represent an important chapter in the history of motoring design and branding. New old stock examples such as this Esso Extra globe are increasingly rare, as most were either used until damaged or discarded during forecourt modernisations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3593\" data-end=\"3871\"\u003eCollectors value plastic globes for their nostalgic design, historical relevance, and link to the golden age of the roadside filling station. The condition of this example, still in its original packaging, makes it a particularly desirable piece for any petroliana collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3873\" data-end=\"3886\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3873\" data-end=\"3884\"\u003eSummary\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"3887\" data-end=\"4269\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"3887\" data-end=\"3938\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3889\" data-end=\"3938\"\u003eEsso Extra petrol pump globe, circa 1960s–1970s\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"3939\" data-end=\"4005\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3941\" data-end=\"4005\"\u003ePlastic construction, designed to fit atop an illuminated pump\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"4006\" data-end=\"4072\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4008\" data-end=\"4072\"\u003eDisplays the classic red Esso logo with blue “Extra” lettering\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"4073\" data-end=\"4125\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4075\" data-end=\"4125\"\u003eRepresents Esso’s mid-century premium fuel brand\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"4126\" data-end=\"4184\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4128\" data-end=\"4184\"\u003eNew old stock condition with original wrapping and box\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"4185\" data-end=\"4269\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4187\" data-end=\"4269\"\u003eA fine example of the transition from glass to plastic in service station design\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4271\" data-end=\"4481\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eThis Esso Extra plastic pump globe captures the final era of traditional forecourt branding, blending postwar design with the practicality of modern materials — a timeless emblem of Britain’s motoring heritage.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Automobilia Magpie","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58800758980957,"sku":"AM375","price":590.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0958\/1625\/3789\/files\/WhatsAppImage2025-10-14at16.36.25_0f837be6.jpg?v=1760694960","url":"https:\/\/www.automobiliamagpie.com\/products\/esso-petrol-pump-globe-new-old-stock-with-box","provider":"Automobilia Magpie","version":"1.0","type":"link"}