Another find and restoration - earlier Wold A1

Kim McCann

Mac-Valve Maestro!
wold.jpg Another find and restoration. Undated, but based on photos, the distinct nozzle cap that isn't like the conical ones from the 30s and 40s,, the tin side cup style and build, I am thinking maybe early to mid 1920s. Possibly later, but before the conical caps were in use. I think @DaveG could far better date this than I, as he has much more experience in these matters.

The only photo I could match it to was a museum photo dated 1918, but I suspect that to be wrong, as other photos of the eral show handles with a flat handle with end cap. Besides the serial number stamped on it is closer to the 30s model I have.

The brush itself was in pretty good condition aside from a lot of ancient dried paint and a corroded needle that took some patience and a lot of deox to get free. Once I got it cleaned up properly, oiled, polished and the re finished / sharpened the needles, gave the needle channel a good proper cleaning, it sprays pretty much like new. Oh, had to replace the spring in the air valve too. It had pretty much crumbled to bits with old corrosion.

The case is another matter. It was in horrible shape, held together with elastic and old paint globs. I got it as clean as I could, repaired the hinghe, and even managed to get most of the old paint out of the ancient velvet and satin, but it is still pretty tatty. If I am feeling brave one day, I might consider giving the old case a good wash with peroxide, but I have seen that harm as much as help, so maybe not. I would however like to find a way to get the old elastic marks off the case. The elastic had pretty much fused to the case and it took quite a bit of time with a delicate brush to remove all the old dried rubber from the case.

If anyone knows a good non-destructive cleaner to eat old rubber, lemme know.
 
That particular nozzle cap was available through the 1940's, into the 50's, or so. Early on, they included two caps with the A-1, one had a small inverted cone up front, which covered the needle tip to protect it. The option had the tip of the needle exposed for close up work. They normally shipped with a brush that had the hide-away handle, like the one here. I have seen documentation from the WW2 years where they stated that they were providing only one cap with the brush, but you could get the second one by requesting it. The handles from the teens and 20's were fatter diameter, and of a hard, rubber like material with flat backs. First threaded to fit the body, then with brass inserts that were threaded to fit the body, but not exposed to view. So, I would guess at the brush being perhaps from the mid-40's, or so.... That looks like a fabulous find.

Wold A1 Hideaway2.jpg

wold hide-away back1.jpg

Oh, far as I can tell, in the oldest catalogs I have seen pictures of, both the conical and straight sided color cups were always available. Not sure they add much to trying to date a Wold. I believe there was total of 6 different sizes available - 3 conical, and 3 straight sided.
 
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Another nice find Kim. We don't get them over here much at all. Mainly Aerographs, some Efbe and a few odd makes.
 
I've not heard of that make before.

Wold Airbrushes were among some of the earliest produced in the USA - late 1880's up until the early 1980's. OC Wold was among some of the very first designers, and is responsible for much of what we see in modern day airbrushes. They are beautifully made and if in good condition, tend to work quite well. I think they never had the same sort of advertising and distribution success as the other Chicago based makers, and paid the ultimate price for it.
 
Nope, not surprised ;)

Wold closed up shop in 1980 in the US. At some point after that, the name and company was resurrected in New Zealand. I don't get the feeling that they ever really got things up and running at 100%. I do know someone that was able to purchase a brush from them - and there is very little comparison to the brushes of old, other than casual visual resemblances. Everything is made using different processes.

I did have some contact with them for several months, several years ago - I was interested in purchasing a decent supply of parts. We got to the point where I was just waiting on an invoice to do a paypal to complete the deal, and then I never heard from them again. I got the impression that perhaps a serious health issue may have put a halt to things, but have never heard anything again...
 
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