Well the ancient air compressor in the snug has found a new home with vintage air compressor/paint equipment enthusiast and restorer Peter, who picked it up today. It was much older than we thought (1920s) and was in fact Aerograph company paint spray equipment. it was almost certainly manufactured in Sydenham, so did not wander far. Watch the full story at:
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That’s so cool! It’s really great that you put it on ebay and that he found it. Who knew it would be so exciting to the right person!
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He is completely mad , I like him already
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"Aerograph Co. Ltd. (The), Lower Sydenham, London, S.E.26, are pioneers of spray painting. Their DeVilbiss Type MBC spray gun is particularly suitable for the high-speed application of aeroplane dopes, synthetics and lacquers and is widely used in the finishing shops of aircraft factories all over the country. A graduated spray width adjustment valve incorporated in the gun enables the operator instantly to vary the type of spray as required from a round concentrated spray for small objects to a wide fan pattern for covering larger surfaces.
The Aerograph Co. Ltd. have also produced a range of portable plants for one, two or three operators, suitable for the maintenance painting of buildings on aerodromes. The equipment consists of an Aerograph Type TC spray gun, suitable lengths of air and fluid hose and a two-gallon pressure feed tank, but spraying equipment specially designed for spraying camouflage materials is also available."
Suppliers to the air industry, 1939.
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Back in the day before Britain actually made stuff
Awesome documentary film 
Glad Ivor found a good home.
He knows his onions. I wonder what other things he has in his collection.
Ivor found a great home. Peter promised to send us a photo when he has restored it; @joeatkin2 suggested we take something to get sprayed when he has finished it, which might be pretty cool . What he was really interested in was the paint pot, which he believes may be the last of its type in existence. Earlier ones were riveted together, ones made after 1925 had a different design. He recognised it immediately from the photos I put it on eBay. It is the oldest he has seen. He can use the electric motor for other projects, but it is nothing remarkable. He believes the compressor was made from a lorry’s braking system. He collects vintage paint spraying equipment, but hinted at various other items in his collection too related to compressors and painting. He has considered making a web site showing his collection, but is a afraid it would push up prices paid on eBay for similar items, and he’s probably right - hadn’t thought of that.
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It warms the cockles to know that someone cares about a old paint reservoir.
His collection might make a good photography project along the lines of Bernd and Hilla Becher’s photographs of industrial structures.
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