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Lot of 2 Vintage DERBY REFINING Brass Belt Buckles, 1990 COASTAL Safety Award, Wichita, Kansas
ESTATE FIND!
Lot of two beautiful vintage belt buckles from the now defunct Derby refinery in Wichita, KS. As a kid in the 1970s and 80s, I have distinct memories of the flare burning bright at night, and the distinct odor of gas in the air around the refinery!
Both solid brass buckles were made by Dyna Buckle in Provo, Utah.
One features the famous Derby star logo in a circle, with wreath stems decorating the outside edge. The other was a 1990 safety award by the Coastal Derby Refining Company. This one also features the Coastal logo in a red enamel globe logo.
Simply stunning and high-quality buckles!
Excellent, preowned vintage condition…Likely stored and never worn. Selling as-is with no returns, so kindly ask before offerding if you have any questions.
***TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THOSE PHOTOS! A set of rare oil and gas advertising buckles for your collection!***
Careful packing and fast shipping. Thanks, good luck and God bless! ;0)
Some background information on this refinery:
Oil was discovered near Wichita in 1915 and this refinery opened around 1920 to process crude oil from those fields into usable products.
Archibald L. Derby initially worked as a laborer on drilling crews in Pennsylvania and relocated to Kansas after oil was discovered near Wichita in 1915. In 1916 Derby and some colleagues took a chance drilling close to Stapleton number one, and their bet paid off. Derby founded the Derby Oil Company in 1920, which ultimately built this refinery in Wichita, and had a chain of service stations across four states.
The refinery was held by Derby Oil from 1920 to 1955, Colorado Interstate Gas Company from 1955 to 1973, and Coastal Derby Refining Company from 1973 until 1993. Coastal merged with El Paso Corporation in 2001 and El Paso closed the facility in 2005 when they left the crude oil business. Plans to demolish the facility were also announced in 2005 as part of the 21st Street Revitalization Program, but actual demolition does not seem to have taken place until May of 2008.
