09-11-2012, 03:00 PM
Another question which comes up frequently.
A) No, no one reproduces this escutcheon, and most likely, no one ever will. It's a shame, but it's a fact.
A few years ago, I tried to get one of the people who make reproduction parts interested in making reproductions of these. I even offered them the use of a grille from a 47-204 I bought just for the purpose, so one of them could make a mold from it. Both declined.
B) If you can straighten one of these things, good luck to you...because, for the most part, these escutcheons cannot be easily straightened.
C) The homemade wooden escutcheon in your third photo is probably your only viable alternative.
The original escutcheons of this type on 1941 and 1942 Philco sets were made of Tenite, a notoriously bad type of plastic that shrinks and warps over time. The identical escutcheon used on the 47-204 (ivory only) was made of an improved plastic that has withstood the test of time.
I have a 41-226C "Sled" that is in pretty good shape, save for the warped escutcheon (same style of escutcheon). It will just have to remain warped, unfortunately.
It's too bad...but no one wants to make these...and don't ask me, I don't have time to go into the plastics business, nor the $$$$ to invest.
A) No, no one reproduces this escutcheon, and most likely, no one ever will. It's a shame, but it's a fact.
A few years ago, I tried to get one of the people who make reproduction parts interested in making reproductions of these. I even offered them the use of a grille from a 47-204 I bought just for the purpose, so one of them could make a mold from it. Both declined.
B) If you can straighten one of these things, good luck to you...because, for the most part, these escutcheons cannot be easily straightened.
C) The homemade wooden escutcheon in your third photo is probably your only viable alternative.
The original escutcheons of this type on 1941 and 1942 Philco sets were made of Tenite, a notoriously bad type of plastic that shrinks and warps over time. The identical escutcheon used on the 47-204 (ivory only) was made of an improved plastic that has withstood the test of time.
I have a 41-226C "Sled" that is in pretty good shape, save for the warped escutcheon (same style of escutcheon). It will just have to remain warped, unfortunately.
It's too bad...but no one wants to make these...and don't ask me, I don't have time to go into the plastics business, nor the $$$$ to invest.
--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
