Charles Burdick came from a family of inventors and pioneers. He worked on various patents and designs throughout his life and is widely attributed with the design of the Airbrush.

Following the World Fair he moved to Great Britain where he set up a new airbrush manufacturing company, the Fountain Brush Co., in Clerkenwell Green, London. The US market was left to Thayer and Chandler whilst he pursued Europe and the British Empire.

He took advantage of the lack of development in airbrush design and even developed an air driven eraser that could be used alongside the airbrush.It is clear that he studied the use of atomizers and was reputed to be friends with Doctor Allan Devilbiss who patented medical throat sprays. He was most likely aware of previous patents that included centralized needle control systems which he employed in his own design of airbrush.

Below is an extremely rare prototype which could be considered to be an early spray can design as it mixes the paint and air internally.