Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Showcase and Stories, Petroliana Veedol 10 gallon barrel

I got this Veedol barrel a few months ago and finally got around to cleaning it up. It`s the first 10 gallon Veedol barrel that I have come across.

It cleaned up very nicely and the bottom of the barrel is stamped 1955. It`s beginning to grow on me and I think I`ll be keeping it.

Does this can date to 1955 or is that a manufacturing code rather then a date code? Can is in excellent condition for being 57 years old.

Don't know but if it has a 55 date, then I know a car and another nice can it would look good next to Dave. Mine...lol



I think this 5 gallon was dated 55 also, but know for sure that my car is a 55. Great year!

IMO, it looks period correct for mid 1950s... In '56 Associated was dropped from the name and Tide Water was shortened to Tidewater... Also, the Flying A brand took over for the Flying V brand....

Thanks Bob, I was waiting for you to confirm the date. Now, Graeme and I know for sure that these cans are 1955.

Graeme that 5 gallon can looks to be in amazing condition.

Bob just reread your post. Just to rephrase what I have just learned. Any time I see a Flying V it dates pre 1956. An item with a Flying A is post 1956.

My research so far, points to a cross over point around late 1955- early '56... Tide Water-Associated seems to have had different schedules for changing design/logos, based on the 2 coasts... The changeovers seem to have first taken place on the West Coast and then a few months later the East Coast.... On atleast one occasion during the late 40s (1947) up to 1950 there was a period when 2 different cans were actively advertised... The tan Flying V can and the red flying V can...

Of course, documenting the changes have been somewhat hit and miss. Phillips 66 tried to ensure all items pertaining to Flying A were destroyed here on the West Coast... Once the Merger was okayed by the DOJ....

Graeme, I see a lot of the 5 gal Tractor oil cans in both Flying V and Flying A... But your Motor Oil can is one I don't see too often... You made a great score... Especially being able to get one in such clean shape...

It's a definite jewel for sure. Easily the nicest 5 gallon can I have ever seen. It came from Texaco Joe and I had to pry his fingers off the can before I could walk out with it.

Thanks for posting the info on the dating Bob. Great to know those details. Might even have that imperial can you're looking for. Let you know in a few days.

Looking at your can again, I believe is it from before 1950...

It has the same design as the tan Veedol Flying V cans that were replaced by the all red Flying V cans completely in 1950....

Of course I could be wrong. Most of my observations/opinions are based on magazine advertising...

Not to hijack Dave's thread on his beautiful can, but checked my 5 gallon can this morning and it looks to be the later design and has a C59 on the side which I believe is the year of the can? It doesn't have the Associated name and says Tidewater Oil Company but does not have the Flying A which is said to have replaced the V in the mid 50's? Could the C59 stamp on the side be something other than the date? It must be a few years later than Dave's 10 gallon drum if it has Tidewater on the side so it has one thing in the name change but nothing on the flying A. Veedol is beginning to drive my interest in the brand. I love the graphics.









I don't know what the significance of the tag is that's attached to the filler spout, but got it this way and left it there. Hope this helps with your info on dating and transition periods.

Gascan,
would you post a picture of the bottom of the can?
there should be a date there..

Graeme, part of the "dating" problem we have is:

We are talking apples and oranges.... Dave's 10 gal is from the US and is marked as such (from what I can squint and see) Your 5 gal is from Tidewater Canada Ltd... (that is the reason, I've only seen a few... Never saw one close enough to read the Manufacturer before)

I've found that Canada Ltd... didn't always follow Tide Water-Associated or Tidewater lead exactly....

Veedol overseas used the V for years (decades) after Tidewater Oil ceased and renamed Getty....

From conversations Dave and I have had by phone and PM, I hope I am correct that he is finding this interesting and I am not taking us all "too far off-course"?

Here is the most "pronounced" example of a series of can design where US Tidewater Oil and Tidewater Canada Ltd.. were similar yet oh so different...

Veedol "white label" High Detergency can series (black label cans all had the same logo): Canadian version on left and US versions in middle and on the right:



Progression of French Veedol cans: red Tide Water-Associated, green Getty Oil and green Tidewater Oil... Notice how the "Flying V" changed to finally just a "V":


Dave, if I went too far afield, I apologize!

I don't own the post...I like it when they take on a life of their own. I'm learning keep the info coming. I just hope, I can absorb it all and commit it to memory.

It's quite apparent you are our in house Veedol expert...the to go, Veedol man! You've forgotten more than I'll ever know.

I appreciate you taking the time to share what you have learned.

Dave, by NO means am I an expert or even close to being one... I am learning and collecting more information day after day... I really know so little!

I will be honest and say that Collecting Associated/Tide Water/Tide Water-Associated/Tidewater and some Getty has kept me going....

I've been in the Hospital undoing procedures on my heart and once I woke up, asked what day it was and when could I go home.. Because there was an item(s) on Ebay or at an auction that I wanted to bid on...

For the Canadian Members and others; I am always looking for Magazine ads from the different "Tidewater and/or Veedol" time periods... I have very little from my neighbor's to the North, so if you have a Canadian Magazine ad with a can on it... I would like to see a copy or scan of it, if possible?

I have US ads that I will take scans of and/or copy magazine ads and send them to Members who like me want a somewhat better understanding of "One of the Great Oil Corporations"....

I have 2 Tractor Oil cans... Both are red; one with the Flying V logo:




and one with the Flying A....





I don't know the code on the bottom of the Flying A can. Is the can manufacture date the top line? 26 - 5 - 60 (May 26,1960)