In the process of restoring a Philco 620 and have come to the dial lamp reflector.
Should the inside be painted black as original or chrome/silver to produce more light?
Thoughts?????
If it were my set I would paint the outer shell and mounting brackets original black, but the inside of the reflector I would paint chrome/silver or even white. Unless its' going to the Smithsonian no one will notice it the way it's mounted on the chassis. I give dial lamps all the extra help I can. That's just me. Take care and BE HEALTHY! Gary
"Don't pity the dead, pity the living, above all, those living without love."
Professor Albus Dumbledore
Gary - Westland Michigan
---I see a dial lamp and I want to paint it black---
I think these were used with the vertical cylinder lens. So they might've tried to only have the image of the filament, and not a reflected blob, that would create an extra lighting around the focused line. It's a theory, of course.
So they might've used black to intentionally not reflect the light.
People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.