J. PAUL GETTY - STOCK CERTIFICATE SIGNED 07/15/1922 CO-SIGNED BY: H. M. HOFFNAGLE - HFSID 350438

J. PAUL GETTY
Rare early stock certificate signed by Getty.
Stock Certificate signed: "J. Paul Getty" as President, “H. M. Hoffnagle” as Secretary. 1p, 13x8. Certificate number 331 representing 1000 shares of the Capital stock in OKLAHOMA OIL CORPORATION registered in the name of G. W. Woolley, vignette of a railroad sitting in an oil field printed on upper left side, with various oil related vignettes around border, large gold seal of the corporation affixed on lower left side. 3½  x 8½  partly-printed transfer register with red 50 stamp affixed to left side. Fine condition. Frame to an overall size of 27x25. Verso viewable from back of frame.

In 1916, Jean Paul Getty (1892-1976) and his father, George, had incorporated the Getty Oil Company, an early precursor to the great conglomerate. His multistate operation went international in 1949, when he completed a deal to lease oil fields in Saudi Arabia. During the Depression Era, he had bought extensive quantities of stock and in 1956 he gained control of Pacific Western, which he renamed Getty Oil, ending a 19-year stock battle with Standard Oil. The significantly larger Getty Oil Company became the world's largest privately owned business and made the enterprising Getty a billionaire. Although he was one of the world's richest men, Getty had a legendary reputation for miserliness. However, he shared his multimillion-dollar collection of art and antiquities with the public by establishing the J. Paul Getty Museum--the largest endowment granted to an art museum at that time.