I was wondering of any of you could enlighten me about my first authentic Petroliana find here in the Netherlands! Ever since I was little, I've been enamored with the Flying Red Horse and have several reproduction versions hanging around the garden. Finding the real thing here made me audibly gasp, and I snatched it up in a heartbeat!
I've been trying to google and find more about the age of this can, but I have utterly failed to find the same can anywhere online. My only idea at the moment is since it only mentions "Vacuum" and not "Socony" is that this is from before their merger in 1931-1934? Every can online that I have seen with this shape and only "Vacuum" however has been with the Gargoyle, and not the Pegasus. I'm quite confused! Has anyone here seen one like this?
Here's a Gallery of all four sides of the can. It's still filthy, and in the exact state I bought it in. The white spot on the first picture is where I removed the price sticker, which removed the layer of grime. It's that filthy! I will be doing my homework to see how to clean it asap --- or should I leave it as is?
A bonus bit about the can, and what made me doubly fall in love with it, is that the Dutch text mostly goes on and on about how you should be vary wary of people trying to sell you fake Mobiloil, and that you should only use oil where the station attendant breaks the seal under your watchful eye. Accept no imitations!
Thank you all for any info you can provide. I'm still so excited to have found anything with the Flying Horse here. One day I'll find a real porcelain sign... one day!
Cheers,
-Heather