[Matchbox] Esso, Extra Motor Oil, Barrel-shaped, Card, Blue White Red

Object/Artifact

-

Canadian Energy Museum

Name/Title

[Matchbox] Esso, Extra Motor Oil, Barrel-shaped, Card, Blue White Red

Entry/Object ID

2024.4.1

Tags

Esso, Matchbox, Matches, Oil, Oil Industry, Promotional Item, Imperial Oil Ltd., Red, Blue, White, Paper, Laurier Park Esso, Edmonton, Silver, Alberta, Canada, 1950s

Description

A matchbox shaped like an Esso "Extra Motor Oil" barrel, containing red, white, and blue match head matches. Custom promotional information on the top of the lid for Laurier Park Esso, Edmonton, Alberta. A cylindrical matchbox, branded to look like an Esso brand oil barrel for "Extra Motor Oil". The box opens by lifting the top section up and off, to reveal the matches inside the bottom section. Inside the box are 71 matches, half having a white top and red bottom match head, and the other half having a red top and blue bottom match head. The match body is plain wood. The main surface of the barrel has the following design: four bands of colour running horizontally around the cylinder (top 2/6ths navy blue, middle 3/6ths cream/white, a medium ring of navy blue, and the bottom 1/6th red); repeated on two sides is the Esso text logo (cream/white oval with navy border and "ESSO" in red text inside) in the upper section, below is the block text "EXTRA" in red and "MOTOR OIL" in navy, below the text is a small red dot, and at the bottom in white text is "IMPERIAL OIL LIMITED; AVERAGE 100 SAFETY MATCHES". At the top of one side, between the previous elements, is a smaller Esso text logo with the white text "EXTRA MOTOR OIL; A Heavy Duty Lubricant; (Supplement 1); FOR API SERVICES; MM. MS. DG. DM". At the bottom of the opposite side is the navy text "Designed by Imperial Oil Research to control combustion chamber deposits and to meet the most exacting requirements of modern high compression engines with hydraulic valve filters" and "MATCHES MADE IN ITALY" in white at the base. The bottom end of the cylinder (base) is a black striking surface, with a rounded raised 4mm lip around the edge. The top end of the cylinder (lid) has a metallic silver fill with the red text "LAURIER PARK ESSO; Lubrication - Breaks; Wheel Balancing Specialists; 142 St. & 85 Ave.; Phone HU. 8-6688; Edmonton, Alta.".

Collection

Richard Magnan Collection

Cataloged By

Danielle P. Lane

Category

Matchbox
Paper Ephemera

Acquisition

Accession

2024.4

Source or Donor

Richard Magnan

Acquisition Method

Gift

Made/Created

Date made

circa 1950

Time Period

20th Century

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Matchbox

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Firemaking Equipment

Nomenclature Class

Temperature Control Equipment

Nomenclature Category

Category 02: Furnishings

Dimensions

Dimension Description

With Lid On

Height

63 mm

Diameter

40 mm

Material

Paper, Wood, Match Head Chemicals

Color

Blue, Navy, Cream, White, Red, Silver

Condition

Reason for Exam

Accession

Overall Condition

Good

Condition Detail

Wear, Tear, Soiling/Grime, Frayed / Fraying, Scratch

Date Examined

Jan 24, 2024

Examined By

Danielle P. Lane

Cleanliness

Light over layer of grime from handling across surface of the box. Spot of brown on one of the barrel sides beneath the large red text "EXTRA".

Surface

Light wear and scratches across surface. Tear in the centre of the striking surface (base) of the box.

Materials

Light-heavy scratching and tears to the edges of the cylinder and seams of the two parts.

Created By

Danielle P. Lane

Create Date

January 24, 2024

Updated By

Danielle P. Lane

Update Date

January 24, 2024