1923 – Siap Italian Gas Station

History

The self-measuring pump, which at the beginning of the Twenties was already obsolete in its country of origin, found the possibility of survival in the young European market.

It was this type that first appeared on the streets of Italy.

After receiving official metric approval by Royal Decree (no. 2199, September 10,1923), a number of Gilbert and Barker pumps were immediately installed by Siap (Societa Italo- Americana del Petrolio, an off-shoot of Standard Oil of New Jersey) which since 1891 had been operating in the Italian market, initially in kerosene and later in gasoline.

By the end of 1924 the Siap pumps (Lampo gas) numbered 150, and it was just about this time that the first visible pumps began to appear.

Ministerial Decree no. 4574 of May 30,1924 admitted to the Italian market the “semi-automatic measuring device comprised of two glass vessels equipped with a four-way switch for the filling and purging of each.”

Built by Bergomi, the Lumina pump (and the subsequent”Hardoll” models, 1925) entered into service under the insignia of Nafta S.A., founded in 1912 as a subsidiary of the Anglo-Dutch concern, Royal Dutch-Shell.