J. PAUL GETTY - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED CHECK 11/30/1944 CO-SIGNED BY: JEAN RONALD GETTY - HFSID 177133

J. PAUL GETTY, CO-SIGNED BY: JEAN RONALD GETTY
This check for $12.50 made out to his son is signed by the oil company owner in black ink
Check signed: "J. Paul Getty", 8½x3½. Los Angeles, California, November 30, 1944. Check No. 1756, drawn on his personal account at Security-First National Bank of Los Angeles, payable to Ronald Getty for $12.50. Endorsed: "Jean Ronald Getty" on verso. In 1916, JEAN PAUL GETTY (1892-1976) and his father, George, had incorporated the Getty Oil Company, an early precursor to the great conglomerate. During the Depression Era, Getty, who was a millionaire by the age of 24, 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 multi-million 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. JEAN RONALD GETTY (b. 1929) was the second son of Jean Paul Getty. His mother, Adolphine (Fini) Helme was married to Getty from 1928-1932. The two had a falling out over the divorce and as a result J. Paul left a meager $3,000 a year to Jean Ronald, which was a noticeable difference from what he left to the rest of his children. Lightly creased. Vertical fold down center. Bank stamps throughout. Two holes punched in top margin. Otherwise, fine condition.