[Philco1928]

If it needs refinishing because it's not worth preserving, then so be it. But I think changing the color is cheating somehow.

If you don't mind, I'm going to correct my earlier statement, regarding these hand-painted sets as to condition. I said they might be so beat up "they may not be worth displaying". Well I take that back. They are becoming so rare I don't think it matters much if they're beat up. I say display it; "look what I got". For one thing, preservation of any unique radio artwork, regardless of condition is vital.

I agree with your statement 100% that "changing the color is cheating somehow". The finish is fake, is it not? :

There happens to be a rather well-respected member of the radio collecting community who is taking model 511's and stripping them to bare metal. He then reproduces any of the other sets in the hand-painted series on this bare cabinet. I am not aware that they are being represented as the real thing nor do I suspect he has any intention of doing so. The cost is beyond the means of the average collector. The "touch-up" of an existing model was quoted at $1300. ( ) Can you even guess what it would cost to completly replicate one of these sets from bare metal? I can't imagine.

As to a brass plate, as you suggested, saying "Finish/Design Reproduced by . . . . ", or engraving the same inside the cabinet, would seem to be a given. But the suggestion of this to the gentleman was met with disdain and a "how dare you!" response.

I am not opposed to touch-up work on these unique sets, but do feel it should be limited to major areas of damage. A full touch-up, and I have seen one, makes the set look new, perfect, and in becoming so loses the original hand-painted artwork of the young lady who originally painted that cabinet back in 1928. You can only "touch-up" one of these sets to a certain degree, otherwise you stand to lessen its historic and financial value. After all, it is someone else's work of art, not your own.

Where do we draw the line??? :