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SUPERSHELL Glass Petrol Pump Globe SUPERSHELL Glass Petrol Pump Globe SUPERSHELL Glass Petrol Pump Globe SUPERSHELL Glass Petrol Pump Globe SUPERSHELL Glass Petrol Pump Globe
Item: AM477 Stock: 1

SUPERSHELL Glass Petrol Pump Globe

Buy for £2,495.00

This SUPERSHELL glass globe is a striking and less commonly seen variation of Shell’s sculpted shell globes. While the classic “Fat Shell” design is best-known, SUPERSHELL globes represent a later evolution of Shell’s branding during the mid-20th century, when fuel grades and premium offerings became more important to motorists.

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Please Note: We sell original items from the early 1900s. All of our items have an expected amount of patina consistent with their age.

SUPERSHELL Glass Petrol Pump Globe SUPERSHELL Glass Petrol Pump Globe SUPERSHELL Glass Petrol Pump Globe SUPERSHELL Glass Petrol Pump Globe SUPERSHELL Glass Petrol Pump Globe

Description

This SUPERSHELL glass globe is a striking and less commonly seen variation of Shell’s sculpted shell globes. While the classic “Fat Shell” design is best-known, SUPERSHELL globes represent a later evolution of Shell’s branding during the mid-20th century, when fuel grades and premium offerings became more important to motorists.

Item Details

  • Brand: Shell

  • Type: SUPERSHELL sculpted shell globe

  • Era: Circa 1940s–1950s

  • Material: Moulded milk glass with raised lettering

  • Design: Stylised scallop shell shape with the SUPERSHELL name across the front

Historical Background
By the 1930s and 40s, Shell’s product range expanded to include different fuel grades. The name SUPERSHELL appeared as a premium-grade petrol, marketed for improved performance, better engine protection, and smoother running. As automotive engineering advanced, petrol companies competed fiercely to promote superior blends, leading to distinctive forecourt branding.

During this period, Shell introduced sculpted globes in several variations:

  • Standard Shell globes

  • Fat Shell

  • Slim Shell

  • SUPERSHELL branded versions

  • Colour-tinted glass options (including rare blue-toned examples like this one)

The SUPERSHELL globe is particularly notable because the name is fully moulded into the glass, in raised lettering, rather than applied as a decal or painted panel. This created a more dramatic and premium appearance when illuminated.

Design Significance

  • The stylised fan-shaped moulding gave Shell stations strong roadside visibility.

  • Raised letters made the globe feel more three-dimensional and high-quality.

  • The subtle blue or off-white tint is typical of certain mid-century Shell globes, which were sometimes coloured to differentiate fuel grades or simply as a design evolution.

Collectibility and Rarity
SUPERSHELL globes are considered more uncommon than standard Shell varieties. Collectors value them because:

  • They were produced in smaller numbers

  • Many did not survive due to the fragility of sculpted glass

  • The SUPERSHELL branding is visually bold and historically important

  • Variants with moulded lettering are especially sought-after

The globe’s condition, colour tint, and sharpness of moulding all influence collectability.

Summary

  • A mid-century Shell petrol pump globe advertising SUPERSHELL, their premium-grade fuel

  • Sculpted from moulded milk glass with strong raised details

  • Designed to attract motorists and communicate fuel quality

  • Less common than the standard Shell globes and highly collectible today

This SUPERSHELL globe represents a stylish era in fuel branding, combining form, function, and the motoring culture of the 1940s and 50s.