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ID #SA1238575
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£1,000
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Vintage Original Circa 1935 Double-sided Enamel Advertising Sign with Original Mounting Flange – "Best Oil Means White May 'Bp' Product", the Property of Shell-mex and B.p. Ltd
For sale by Sandbanks Antiques
for sale €1,170     $1,270
£1,000
Sandbanks Antiques

Sandbanks Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jan 2025
Browse dealers 213 items
  • About Us
    Specialising in antique silver, gold boxes, gold coins and objects de vertu. Rare fine-quality imperial chinese porcelain, jades, cloisonné
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Id #SA1238575
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Vintage Original Circa 1935 Double-sided Enamel Advertising Sign with Original Mounting Flange – "Best Oil Means White May 'Bp' Product", the Property of Shell-mex and B.p. Ltd

1920 - 1940
Description

Vintage Original Circa 1935 Double-Sided Enamel Advertising Sign with Original Mounting Flange – "Best Oil Means White May 'BP' Product", The Property of Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd

Type & Design: A genuine vintage double-sided vitreous enamel advertising sign featuring crisp typography reading "BEST OIL MEANS WHITE MAY 'BP' PRODUCT" alongside the classic "IT'S A 'BP' PRODUCT" block logo.

Period: Circa 1935, dating to the pre-war era following the 1932 formation of Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd.

Mounting & Flange: Complete with its original integral side mounting flange, allowing the double-sided sign to project outward from a garage, workshop, or showroom wall.

Maker & Property Mark: Clearly stamped along the original mounting flange with the maker reference "260. THE PROPERTY OF SHELL-MEX AND B.P. LTD", verifying its authentic filling station allocation.

Dimensions: Measures approximately 46cm x 30.5cm (18" x 12").

Weight: Solid heavy-gauge metal construction weighing 1.8kg.

Material: Thick base metal finished in deep, high-gloss vitreous enamel.

Condition: Good untouched original condition with strong color retention and high-gloss surface shine. Displays authentic age-related character, including minor enamel chips and natural surface oxidation along the edges and mounting flange from period use.

Provenance: Private Collection, England

Declaration

Sandbanks Antiques has dated this Vintage Enamel Advertising Sign to the 1930s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1238575
Description
Vintage Original Circa 1935 Double-Sided Enamel Advertising Sign with Original Mounting Flange – "Best Oil Means White May 'BP' Product", The Property of Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd

Type & Design: A genuine vintage double-sided vitreous enamel advertising sign featuring crisp typography reading "BEST OIL MEANS WHITE MAY 'BP' PRODUCT" alongside the classic "IT'S A 'BP' PRODUCT" block logo.

fig 1. A rectangular double-sided white vitreous enamel sign displaying blue lettering that reads Best Oil Means White May BP Product.
fig 1. Vintage Original Circa 1935 Double-sided Enamel Advertising Sign with Original Mounting Flange – "Best Oil Means White May 'Bp' Product", the Property of Shell-mex and B.p. Ltd

Period: Circa 1935, dating to the pre-war era following the 1932 formation of Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd.

“
Mounting & Flange: Complete with its original integral side mounting flange, allowing the double-sided sign to project outward from a garage, workshop, or showroom wall.
Sandbanks Antiques
fig 2. A rectangular double-sided white vitreous enamel sign displaying blue lettering that reads Best Oil Means White May BP Product.
fig 2. Vintage Original Circa 1935 Double-sided Enamel Advertising Sign with Original Mounting Flange – "Best Oil Means White May 'Bp' Product", the Property of Shell-mex and B.p. Ltd

Maker & Property Mark: Clearly stamped along the original mounting flange with the maker reference "260. THE PROPERTY OF SHELL-MEX AND B.P. LTD", verifying its authentic filling station allocation.

Dimensions: Measures approximately 46cm x 30.5cm (18" x 12").

fig 3. A rectangular double-sided white vitreous enamel sign displaying blue lettering that reads Best Oil Means White May BP Product.
fig 3. Vintage Original Circa 1935 Double-sided Enamel Advertising Sign with Original Mounting Flange – "Best Oil Means White May 'Bp' Product", the Property of Shell-mex and B.p. Ltd

Weight: Solid heavy-gauge metal construction weighing 1.8kg.

Material: Thick base metal finished in deep, high-gloss vitreous enamel.

Condition: Good untouched original condition with strong color retention and high-gloss surface shine. Displays authentic age-related character, including minor enamel chips and natural surface oxidation along the edges and mounting flange from period use.

Provenance: Private Collection, England

Date of Manufacture

Sandbanks Antiques has dated this Vintage Enamel Advertising Sign to the 1930s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1238575
Sandbanks Antiques
Sandbanks Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jan 2025

Specialising in antique silver, gold boxes, gold coins and objects de vertu. Rare fine-quality imperial chinese porcelain, jades, cloisonné

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Sandbanks Antiques Profile Page

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A rectangular double-sided white vitreous enamel sign displaying blue lettering that reads Best Oil Means White May BP Product.
1 / 8
Archive I A rectangular double-sided white vitreous enamel sign displaying blue lettering that reads Best Oil Means White May BP Product.

Vintage Original Circa 1935 Double-sided Enamel Advertising Sign with Original Mounting Flange – "Best Oil Means White May 'Bp' Product", the Property of Shell-mex and B.p. Ltd

Archive II A rectangular double-sided white vitreous enamel sign displaying blue lettering that reads Best Oil Means White May BP Product. View II
Archive III A rectangular double-sided white vitreous enamel sign displaying blue lettering that reads Best Oil Means White May BP Product. View III
Archive IV A rectangular double-sided white vitreous enamel sign displaying blue lettering that reads Best Oil Means White May BP Product. View IV
Archive V A rectangular double-sided white vitreous enamel sign displaying blue lettering that reads Best Oil Means White May BP Product. View V
Archive VI A rectangular double-sided white vitreous enamel sign displaying blue lettering that reads Best Oil Means White May BP Product. View VI
Archive VII A rectangular double-sided white vitreous enamel sign displaying blue lettering that reads Best Oil Means White May BP Product. View VII
Archive VIII A rectangular double-sided white vitreous enamel sign displaying blue lettering that reads Best Oil Means White May BP Product. View VIII
Enlarged Archival View
Sandbanks Antiques

Sandbanks Antiques
Telephone 07889 139677
Location
Sandbanks
Poole
Dorset
United Kingdom

By appointment only in Poole or London.
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/sandbanks
Verified Since Jan 2025
Items For Sale 213
Items Sold 87
Sandbanks Antiques
Sandbanks Antiques
Verified Since Jan 2025
View Dealer Info
Location: Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset, United Kingdom, , By appointment only in Poole or London.
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/sandbanks
Verified
Jan 2025
For Sale
213
Sold
87
A rectangular double-sided white vitreous enamel sign displaying blue lettering that reads Best Oil Means White May BP Product.
Vintage Original Circa 1935 Double-Sided Enamel Advertising Sign with Original Mounting Flange – "Best Oil Means White May 'BP' Product", The Property of Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd
Ref: SA1238575
A rectangular double-sided white vitreous enamel sign displaying blue lettering that reads Best Oil Means White May BP Product.
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Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectAdvertising Signs
  • Period1920 - 1940
  • StyleIndustrial
  • MaterialEnamel, Steel
  • ColourWhite, Blue
  • MotifsFlange mount, Bold typography, Double-sided layout, Corporate branding

This industrial advertising sign is a vintage original dating from the 1930s. Formed from heavy-gauge steel with a high-gloss white vitreous enamel finish, the rectangular double-sided piece displays bold blue typography that reads "BEST OIL MEANS WHITE MAY 'BP' PRODUCT" alongside the signature block logo. The design includes authentic period character with minor enamel chips and natural surface oxidation along the edges, retaining strong colour throughout. Measuring 46 cm by 30.5 cm, the sign comes with its original integral side mounting flange. Suitable for placement on a narrow wall space in an industrial loft, garage, workshop, or study interior, this piece projects outward to create a three-dimensional display. The robust metal construction and corporate branding reflect filling station history from the pre-war era, following the formation of Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd. The surface finish maintains its original gloss, showing genuine age-related wear from period use in an authentic British automotive context.

FAQs

Vitreous enamel signs became prominent in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a durable form of outdoor advertising. Companies such as Shell-Mex and BP utilised these signs outside garages and stockists due to their weather-resistant properties and long-lasting colour retention.

These signs were manufactured by fusing powdered glass onto heavy-gauge iron or steel plates inside a high-temperature furnace. This process created a hard, glass-like coating capable of enduring harsh outdoor elements without fading.

Authentic vintage enamel signs exhibit physical characteristics such as natural rusting or chipping around mounting flange holes and edges, distinct layered enamel texture felt by hand, and period-accurate typography or corporate branding.

A vintage enamel sign adds industrial tone to a home bar, kitchen, or hallway when mounted against exposed brick or a neutral backdrop. The bold typography acts as a focal point alongside metal shelving or reclaimed timber furniture.

Clean the surface gently using warm water mixed with a mild pH-neutral detergent and a microfibre cloth. Avoid abrasive cleaners or metal pads, and apply a thin layer of microcrystalline wax to exposed rust patches to prevent further oxidisation.
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