Ron if it was an amateur hack job he must have had a small business going because there are more than a couple of examples floating around, all of them French radios as far as I know. By the way, it's good to see you actively posting again.
see heraafter a photo of the signaletic plate , back of the second sample.
It's written " AC 115 Volts ! 50/60 cycles
Take note it appears to be a code 321 chassis as opposed to the common 12x codes. Obviously a factory export tag and since it specs 50-60 cycles that would seem to indicate the need for a ballast tube to smooth out the current and keep it consistent.
Larry