"All petrol stations look alike," seems a statement that we use today. But also in the early days of the petrol pump, say the 1920s, many looked the same. Yet there was one pump that stood out from the crowd. Just look at the neat design of the French lily that crowns the pump on this photo. It was designed by Gispen, an industrial designer fascinated by modern technology, but also interested in Gothic architecture. Today Gispen is mostly remembered for his unique furniture, but in his design for a petrol pump he managed to bring both styles together. A pump over two meters high, with an octagonal cast iron column and an ornament on top: a French lily with an ovoid, opal glass. A true work of art, compared with its mundane brethren. Presumably the elegance of the design was also its weak point, because not many were made. We think they were too expensive for a large production. As far as we know not one has survived, as many were demolished during world War II. (Read More)