Overview
This is a rare, large-scale industrial canvas banner used as promotional signage for Flying A service stations during the post-war automotive boom.
1Identify
Preliminary identification
Flying A Gasoline 'Fast Action' Service Station Canvas Banner, c.1950s
Photo reference
1 uploaded photo
Story
In the years following World War II, the American highway became the stage for a massive branding war between oil giants, and the Tidewater Associated Oil Company used the 'Flying A' to promise drivers the same power found in fighter planes.
Maker / Origin
The Tidewater Associated Oil Company, founded in the late 19th century, became a household name through its Flying A brand, which was eventually absorbed by Getty Oil.
Condition & Value
The banner shows authentic 'garage patina,' including light surface staining, minor fraying at the edges, and characteristic surface cracking in the paint consistent… Large-scale fabric banners are significantly rarer than tin or porcelain signs because they were fragile and often discarded.
Research
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