[Guest]

This is my first posting. I'm not a collector, but I do have an old cabinet I need help with.

I have what appears to be the cabinet for a MODEL 41-629P. The lady I got it from, a German war bride, has a photo of the unit from about '45, taken in her husband's home in the States. In the photo, the cabinet is black.

Her late husband stripped it of its electronics and turned it into a bar. I got it with the intent of refinishing it and turning into a wine caddy with a chiller in the bottom.

I began stripping it only to find it has (what seems to be) the typical finished wood veneer, most of which is okay, but needs some work. The lid may not be original as it's not veneered, nor does it seem to have been.

Questions:
-What type wood veneer was used? Is there a source for replacment veneer?
-Can anyone speculate why this unit would have been painted black prior to '45? Was it a factory cover job for less than acceptable finishes?
-For its intended purpose, should I refinish it black or in it's varnished veneer condition? (I like both.)

Thanks, all! I look forward to hearing from you!

Ed