There are two Tidewater Oil Companies. First off, Tidewater Oil (Tydol), later, after merging with Associated, becoming Tidewater-Associated Oil, later with the Associated dropped becoming simply Tidewater Oil, again. Flying A was their primary brand. The other Tidewater is Tidewater Oil Service, a small jobber based in Matthews County, Virginia and not marketing over more than about a 100 mile range. This company dates from the 1920s, marketed as Tiwoser until 1952, then became a Pure (later Union) jobber. The company was still in business in the 1980s when I left eastern Virginia.
This sign displays a unique typestyle used by Tidewater (Flying A) and is in no way related to the small Virginia company. It is a dealer nameplate, with custom painted dealer name painted over pre-existing "Tidewater Dealer".
Wayne Henderson
PCM Publishing