Vintage 1960s The Atlantic Refining Company Stock Certificate! Oil Americana!
12" x 8" ~ little to no wear
Originally founded in 1866 as the Atlantic Petroleum Storage Company, the firm was a pioneer in the burgeoning oil industry. By 1874, John D. Rockefeller had acquired the company, incorporating it into his Standard Oil empire and solidifying his influence along the East Coast. The acquisition expanded Atlantic's reach to encompass all of Delaware, southern New Jersey, and the southeastern tip of Pennsylvania, effectively granting it dominion over the Philadelphia region.
Due to antitrust concerns, the Standard Oil Trust was ultimately dismantled. Atlantic, one of the eleven companies to gain rights to the Standard name, had coverage over Pennsylvania and Delaware. However, Atlantic discovered that its own name held more marketing appeal than the Standard name, which was unusual at that time. Consequently, it chose not to use the Standard name.
The Atlantic Refining Company was a key player in the nascent oil industry and had strong connections to the Standard Oil legacy. Its history is interwoven with significant figures and events in the petroleum industry.
Envision adorning your wall with a vintage historic collectible as a decorative piece in any room of your home!
Stock certificates are indeed rare treasures. Once they enter museums or private collections, their availability diminishes. These papers are rich in history, dating back to the first issuance by the Dutch East India Company in 1606. Advancing 407 years, the Walt Disney Company released one of the final paper stock certificates by a significant corporation in 2013. Owning such a document is a chance to possess a fragment of history.
The photos hardly capture their essence. These were printed on heavy paper stock, akin to a dollar bill but more rigid and enduring, ensuring their vibrancy and fresh appearance last. Another distinctive feature of stock certificates is the array of intriguing signatures they bear; it's always a surprise to see whose signature you might encounter. Typically, stocks are endorsed by the company's President and Secretary. Some enthusiasts delve into the signatures' origins and historical context, greatly enhancing the provenance and worth of an item that's already of value. Personally, I've never engaged in this research; deciphering my own signature is challenging enough, much less one from a century ago. Considering the effort required for thousands of certificates, my mother and I long ago opted not to pursue it.
