Will Connell Collection of photos from the 1930’s

Will Connell was a well known portrait and commercial photographer that began work in the Los Angeles area in the 1920’s. Collections of his work are housed at several institutions. A group of photographs done for F.E. Olds and Son for catalogs, brochures and other purposes has been located at the UCLA Digital Library Collection.

His family has give permission to post these images on Olds Central; however, they may not be copied or duplicated without permission from the family of Will Connell.

#1 The photo above may have been considered for use in a 1930’s era catalog. This is the original version of the Olds cornet, which was replaced by the Standard cornet in the circa 1935 catalog. This photo is of the same style as used in the circa 1932 trumpet brochure.

#2 This appears to be an Olds Standard trumpet, also of the same style as the circa 1932 trumpet brochure. The photo in the circa 1932 brochure is at a different angle, but likely taken at the same time. Engraving was not standardized in this era and the trumpet in the photo appears to have Art Deco style engraving on the bell.

#3 As can be seen at the bottom of the photo, there is what appears to be a catalog mock up for the Olds Standard trombone. The trombone in the photo has the optional hand hammered bell. No catalog has yet been discovered that matches this mock up.

#4 The photo above is a Military trumpet with a hand hammered bell.

#5 The hand hammered bell of a Military trumpet. Many of the remaining photos appear in a collage page in the circa 1933 catalog.

#6 A craftsman applying the detailed hammer strikes to a hand hammered bell.

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