I recently acquired a 42-1008p in green finish. I thought someone did a garish job of refinishing until I saw this recent listing for a Philco on craigslist. It's a 53-1750 with the same finish. Is the green finish on my 42-1008p a factory finish?
Based on the gallery information both of those green finishes are not original.
Agree. I've had 3 42-1000p's, including one bought new in 1942. No green.
Likely both were victims of the "antiquing" craze of some decades ago, not unlike today's misguided "chalk paint" fad.
I finally got a picture of it, just so you can appreciate the confusion.[
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Yup...a victim of "antiquing". The 1960s/1970s version of today's chalk paint.
Looks like a 42-1008 i had a few years back.
It isn't that bad better than the last one i seen that was reskinned in black tolex.
In related news one of the two proponents of chalk painted furniture, and supplies, is closing down, the one on the main street. Thank heaven for that!
Regards
Arran
Let's look at this from the cup-half-full point of view. If this finish is applied over a pristine original finish, it may serve to protect the original finish. If you can find a way to strip the green without affecting the finish underneath, you may have a hidden gem here.
But if the original finish was stripped to put this putrescent colour on, you may have to strip it down and recreate the original finish or at least something equivalent like a French polish shellac finish. Ugly, yes, but this is reversible.
Would be interesting to see what is underneath, but I think I hear Bill the Cat warming up................
Paul
I'm actually not too bothered by the finish. I bought the unit to harvest the BOL phonograph for my 42-1013.
In the original photo, it's a 53-1750 (1953) or a B1750 (1954). They came in only 2 colors - Mahogany (most popular color at that time and massed produced) AND Blonde wood color (relatively rare). The Mahgony version had brown knobs (the left knob is missing but the right side looks brown) and so this was originally Mahogany. The blonde version had blonde colored knobs. I've restored 3 of these (2 blonde and 1 Mahgany) Cheers !