[Eric Adams]

I don't believe it left the Philco factory looking like this: You tell me

[klondike98]

Not unless a time traveler brought the urethane coating back to 1946 

[jerryhawthorne]

No, not with that gloss but I bet it will get good dollars from someone.  Not a "collector".
Jerry

[Ron Ramirez]

Take a good look at this 1948 Philco dealer catalog illustration of a 48-250:

http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1948a.htm#j

Notice how it does have a shine...more like a satiny sheen, really. It certainly does not have the gloss polyurethane "wet" look.

But hey, super-shine sells...Who cares about authenticity, anyway?

[Eric Adams]

I'm with you guys. I know it looks fake and any Bakelite cabinet that I do comes out like Ron's example. I Just wanted to be sure that real collectors don't want that shine.
Thanks,

[Arran]

 This set, or one like it, has been discussed before. Yes it may look pretty but that poly clear-coat wet look shine will lower the collectable value of the set over the long run. In fact what will eventually happen is that it will chip, scratch,  start peeling, and become a real mess. 
Regards
Arran

[JimZ]

I think buyers are skeptical of clearcoated bakelite.  This guy bought it that way and no doubt intended it to be a keeper and we can see..buyers aren't jumping at the example.  I think I would only clear coat (with lacquer and rubbed out) a set I had no thoughts of reselling.  And only with a bakelite case that failed to respond to polishing etc.
There are bakelite cases that are simply beyond what any polish can make really nice and it wouldn't bother me one bit
to spritz it with lacquer and rub the finish out enough to get rid of any wet look...as I might with any freshly painted case.  The other option with bakelite is of course paint the cabinet.
Another example of clearcoated bakelite that took forever to sell.  Same situation

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Airline-...7675.l2557