Two (2) rare Standard Oil Company calendars, c. 1920, printed on silk in the form of Chinese scrolls by the Commercial Press Ltd., Shanghai, with SOCNY (Standard Oil Co. New York) logos, including one (1) depicting nobles in a palace veranda observing a large flock of birds approching and one (1) depicting a noble man upon a roof being visiting by female figures presented on a cloud. Main Images: 33" H x 12 1/2" W, overall 60" H x 16 1/2" W. Note: In the 1890s, Standard Oil began marketing kerosene to China's large population (close to 400 million) as lamp fuel. It was a very successful endeavor, and prior to WWII, Standard Vacuum Oil Company (a joint venture between SOCNY Vacuum Oil and Standard Oil of New Jersey) was the largest single U.S. investment in Southeast Asia. However, few of these unusual calendars seem to have survived.

PROVENANCE: The collection of Jean Rippy, Franklin, Tennessee.

CONDITION: Both have light toning and scattered creasing with minor paper loss to some areas; one with some blue stains to border and 5" narrow vertical line of loss to largest figure's yellow coat; the other with a couple of dark marks to border.