Shell’s roots run back to a 19th-century London trader who literally sold seashells before moving into oil — hence the name and the emblem. The modern company was formed in 1907 by the merger of Royal Dutch Petroleum and the "Shell" Transport and Trading Company, creating one of the first truly global oil majors.
The pecten — a scallop shell — has been Shell’s symbol from the beginning, and its evolution is a case study in graphic design. Early shells were naturalistic and detailed; over the decades, and with help from designers, the shell was simplified into the bold red-and-yellow icon recognized worldwide today.
In the U.S., Shell built a strong presence and a distinctive yellow-and-red color scheme that stands out on any collector’s wall. Its clamshell-shaped signage and early globes are especially prized for turning the logo itself into the shape of the object.
The Shell pecten is one of the longest-running logos in the world, and collectors chase its evolution across a dozen redesigns. Red and yellow porcelain in the literal shape of a shell is the definitive Shell collectible.
Die-cut signs shaped like the scallop shell turn the logo into the sign — a favorite figural format.
Early Shell pump globes, including shell-shaped bodies, are among the most desirable globes going.
Assembling the shell across its many redesigns tells the whole story of 20th-century logo design.
Early pectens are detailed and shaded, close to a real scallop.
The bold yellow-and-red palette and cleaner shell take hold in the U.S.
The shell is simplified into the flat, instantly readable emblem still used today.
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