I happened upon what might the most authentic and possibly one of the most expensive pieces you could put in a travel-themed nursery: The Witco world map.
It originally came with a standard Witco tag on the back that read:
Where decor becomes artThe Witco world map was designed by William Westenhaver for Witco Inc, which originally stood for the Western International Trading Company, and it measures 63" by 33" – which means you would need a pretty big travel nursery to hang it.
Your hand carved Witco original is of select red cedar. The surface is burned and waxed to complement the coarse grain. The continuous use of any household wax will enhance its beauty.
Like all raw woods this product is subject to checking and splitting. We therefore suggest that black liquid shoe polish, india ink or dark stain be used to touch up the checked area. Direct exposure to sunlight will bleach and fade your idol, fountain or bench. We recommend a dark walnut stain be applied where large surfaces are involved to return your Witco Original to its' natural beauty.
For exterior use we recommend 50% Turpentine and boiled Linseed Oil to retain the richness of the color.
I too just came across a Witco world map with the same the same tags and signature, but its very different.The sphere is carved raised wood and the world map is metal and is raised almost floating.do you know anything about it?thanks,laurali
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of or seen anything like that. If you email me some photos, I'll try to track down some info for you.
Deletei have seen it because my dad used to own it.... the frame is carved wood and not just a plain frame that I have seen on some of the witco peices. the world is metal.... my dad also had another huge peice that had a boat on it... i was young.... but remember the boat was raised too. both pictures were heavy and we thought they were gonna fall off the wall and kill someone. i just sold the tiki fountain that i had.... i have seen pictures on the same one in resorts and restaurants.
ReplyDeleteHi. I realize this is 6 year old post. But was wondering if you had pictures or more info on the “Witco” Metal and Wood world map. Thank you.
DeleteHi. Sadly, not really. Some Googling around didn't turn up anything additional or new, just some equally old blogs and photos. With industrial art like this it can be hard to track down anything except the basics.
DeleteI just obtained one of these from an estate and it looks in great condition but I obviously know very little about it. It appears to be authentic but again not an expert. If i find it is an original what is the approximate value of this piece today?
ReplyDeleteYour best bet would be to check your local craigslist (which might not have any results), AllGraigs, ebay, etsy and any other sites like that. That should give you a ballpark to play in,
DeleteI have world of witco had it for 25 years the guy I bought it from said he had it for 30 and went around the world 3 time I was wondering if is worth anything
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely worth something. How much it's worth will depend on your location, if you're willing to list it online and ship it, the condition it's in, etc. Give this post a read, it might help you determine what it's worth: http://www.madformidcentury.com/2012/04/pricing-mid-century-furniture.html
DeleteAnyone selling a Witco World?
ReplyDelete