02-06-2021, 10:43 AM
Thank you. I understand rubbing out in the refinishing sense 
I wonder if you'd know when that might have changed, and I'll explain why I ask.
There are always discussions ongoing about how product came from the factory, and we don't seem to have a lot of evidence (factory notes etc). My own experience ... and only with the typical North American radio that an average blue collar worked would have bought is that almost without exception, every one I have been able to see an original finish on has been high gloss. I can reference two in particular, one of which I still own.
- The first one is a late 1930's Philco, with a model number ending in 3116 (possibly 39-3116?). It was a big rectangular console with the piano lid over the contols. I bought this from it's original owner in the early 1990's, maybe late 1980's. It had sat in one place all it's life and was covered with the usual cigarette stain, cooking oil residue etc, that we all love to hate and the finish was definitely very dulled. BUT ... under the piano lid, which I assume had been closed it's entire life, was the original factory finish and it was a piano gloss, both under the lid and on the face of the control board.
- The second one (I still own it) is a circa 1930 Columbia (Canadian), made by DeForest. It's a Console with sliding doors. It also came form an original owner and I bought it circa 1973/4. I had to use my dad's tractor and wagon to pick it up on the next concession to our farm. Same dulled finish, but when I slid open the doors ... the same glossy piano finish.
Anyway, thank you for the explanation. It's yet another example of a couple of sets that are different to my experiences. A couple of others, just for interest sake, according to other devotees are Scott (rubbed out finish) and apparently some early AK's. I also had an RCA Radiola 17 in the early '70's that was anything but glossy but otherwise looked like new inside and out.
cheers
EDIT :: this was essentially my Philco, but mine did not have the remote control : https://philcoradio.com/gallery2/1939a/#Model_39-116RX
I wonder if you'd know when that might have changed, and I'll explain why I ask.There are always discussions ongoing about how product came from the factory, and we don't seem to have a lot of evidence (factory notes etc). My own experience ... and only with the typical North American radio that an average blue collar worked would have bought is that almost without exception, every one I have been able to see an original finish on has been high gloss. I can reference two in particular, one of which I still own.
- The first one is a late 1930's Philco, with a model number ending in 3116 (possibly 39-3116?). It was a big rectangular console with the piano lid over the contols. I bought this from it's original owner in the early 1990's, maybe late 1980's. It had sat in one place all it's life and was covered with the usual cigarette stain, cooking oil residue etc, that we all love to hate and the finish was definitely very dulled. BUT ... under the piano lid, which I assume had been closed it's entire life, was the original factory finish and it was a piano gloss, both under the lid and on the face of the control board.
- The second one (I still own it) is a circa 1930 Columbia (Canadian), made by DeForest. It's a Console with sliding doors. It also came form an original owner and I bought it circa 1973/4. I had to use my dad's tractor and wagon to pick it up on the next concession to our farm. Same dulled finish, but when I slid open the doors ... the same glossy piano finish.
Anyway, thank you for the explanation. It's yet another example of a couple of sets that are different to my experiences. A couple of others, just for interest sake, according to other devotees are Scott (rubbed out finish) and apparently some early AK's. I also had an RCA Radiola 17 in the early '70's that was anything but glossy but otherwise looked like new inside and out.
cheers
EDIT :: this was essentially my Philco, but mine did not have the remote control : https://philcoradio.com/gallery2/1939a/#Model_39-116RX
