Hi Folks, I have a Radiola 26 that I and totally restorting to as new condition. Normally I would not restore a radio completely. This Radiola 26 arrived by post a few years ago. The radio was poorly packaged and the radio arrived as a kit. Most of the glued joints were broken and the veneer was lifted. The radio was also poorly nailed together at one time probably due to the two foot illness that these radios suffered. The up side is that the insurance paid for the radio and I got to keep it. There are no colour pictures of a Radiola 26 that I could find. I am trying to decide what the colour of the hardware should be. I have cleaned the front dials which appear to be brass plated copper. The tuning pointers are very black almost like these should be black. The hinges and bolts all appear to be black. Is this just tarnishing? The hardware that holds the handle is a bronze colour. Is this the original colour or is it 85 years of oxidization of the copper? Any suggestions about this radio would be appreciated. Dan.

Maybe this ?

http://www.antiqueradios.com/gallery/v/RCA/RCA_Radiola_26.jpg.html

That's pretty much what mine looks like too, except he's missing the mother-of-pearl knob inlays. Two shades of antiqued copper.

:That's pretty much what mine looks like too, except he's missing the mother-of-pearl knob inlays. Two shades of antiqued copper.
:

This is what I have been told by VERY experienced collectors...Most of the RCA 1920s radiola series radios had metal face plates and other metal parts on the front of the radio(s) "antiqued" ..In the 1920s the fad was to make everything look "old" so most of the brass pieces were dipped in various chemicals to make them dark brown then they were laquered over...I personaly own most of the RCA radiola series from 1919-1930. When I look at original color ads from the 1920s it appears to me that the face plates and other are polished brass..so I am not 100% sure...Personally I prefer to have the brass polished and then take a can of clear high gloss spray to keep brass shinny...I know perfectionist say leave brass in original condition..but I feel that the brass can alway be made dark again if one chooses. I guess I question those who say the original face plates were "antiqued" when all the original ads of that period show them as highly polished brass...My opinion is that the face plates were originally highly polished brass and when original laquers were spayed on that the brass darkened from applied laquers and age...

::That's pretty much what mine looks like too, except he's missing the mother-of-pearl knob inlays. Two shades of antiqued copper.
::
:
:Thanks Guys.
:

Publicity photos were always retouched, to show up better in printed media, and are not a reliable indicator of original appearance.

The high-end Radiola hardware was gold flashed, but was matte, never polished.

Polished brass was way out of fashion in the 1920s. Good for fire engines to give the boys something to do between alarms, but no housewife would put up with it. Nickel plating was "in". You don't see polished brass on 1920s cars, do you?

It's pretty unlikely that the 26 tube cover would age to two different shades, in the center and the surrounding area. And do it exactly the same in every 26 I've ever seen.

If one reads original radiola material...it states " To clean and keep brass highly polished to gold luster..use damp cloth...." ets..etc...

:Publicity photos were always retouched, to show up better in printed media, and are not a reliable indicator of original appearance.
:
:The high-end Radiola hardware was gold flashed, but was matte, never polished.
:
:Polished brass was way out of fashion in the 1920s. Good for fire engines to give the boys something to do between alarms, but no housewife would put up with it. Nickel plating was "in". You don't see polished brass on 1920s cars, do you?
:
:It's pretty unlikely that the 26 tube cover would age to two different shades, in the center and the surrounding area. And do it exactly the same in every 26 I've ever seen.
:

Also "high end" RCA Radiola face plates, pointer knob plates, and pointers were all SOLID brass..not flash gold finnished...

:If one reads original radiola material...it states " To clean and keep brass highly polished to gold luster..use damp cloth...." ets..etc...
:
::Publicity photos were always retouched, to show up better in printed media, and are not a reliable indicator of original appearance.
::
::The high-end Radiola hardware was gold flashed, but was matte, never polished.
::
::Polished brass was way out of fashion in the 1920s. Good for fire engines to give the boys something to do between alarms, but no housewife would put up with it. Nickel plating was "in". You don't see polished brass on 1920s cars, do you?
::
::It's pretty unlikely that the 26 tube cover would age to two different shades, in the center and the surrounding area. And do it exactly the same in every 26 I've ever seen.
::
:

I guess I can tell the difference between brass and gold. My Radiola 32 hardware is exactly the same shade as Atwater Kent's (and hasn't tarnished in 80 years). There's no question about Atwater kent's hardware; one of the highlights of a factory tour there was watching the gold bars being dissolved in acid, to make the electroplating solution.

I've never seen any reference to polishing brass in Radiola literature, but then, most of my old pamphlets are sales brochures, not owner's manuals. Which one did your quote come from?

Thats absolutely laughable..lets get real..I also have a RCA radiola 32 I bought from the original owner and all the hardware is tarnished....I have all the original owners and sales material with my Radiola 32, 28, 104 speaker, 16, on and on ...In the owner manuals it states very clear and mentionions "highly polished brass (face plat) escutcheon" and other parts .and how to keep clean.... The Radiola 32 parts are solid brass...and were coated with laquer to keep from tarnishing...over the years the laquer browns....

:I guess I can tell the difference between brass and gold. My Radiola 32 hardware is exactly the same shade as Atwater Kent's (and hasn't tarnished in 80 years). There's no question about Atwater kent's hardware; one of the highlights of a factory tour there was watching the gold bars being dissolved in acid, to make the electroplating solution.
:
:I've never seen any reference to polishing brass in Radiola literature, but then, most of my old pamphlets are sales brochures, not owner's manuals. Which one did your quote come from?
:

:Thats absolutely laughable..lets get real..I also have a RCA radiola 32 I bought from the original owner and all the hardware is tarnished....I have all the original owners and sales material with my Radiola 32, 28, 104 speaker, 16, on and on ...In the owner manuals it states very clear and mentionions "highly polished brass (face plat) escutcheon" and other parts .and how to keep clean.... The Radiola 32 parts are solid brass...and were coated with laquer to keep from tarnishing...over the years the laquer browns....We can also see that if the face plates and other are removed from suck radios the back sides are usually still some-what shiny so items were not dipped in a browning solution but rather polished on one side and polished then spayed with laquer on other side
:
:
::I guess I can tell the difference between brass and gold. My Radiola 32 hardware is exactly the same shade as Atwater Kent's (and hasn't tarnished in 80 years). There's no question about Atwater kent's hardware; one of the highlights of a factory tour there was watching the gold bars being dissolved in acid, to make the electroplating solution.
::
::I've never seen any reference to polishing brass in Radiola literature, but then, most of my old pamphlets are sales brochures, not owner's manuals. Which one did your quote come from?
::
:

There's a photo of my 32 dial here:
http://antiqueradios.com/gallery/d/121792-1/Radiola+32+dial.jpg

I don't know if this forum will display photos or not.
[img]http://antiqueradios.com/gallery/d/121792-1/Radiola+32+dial.jpg[/img]

It's only tarnished where the owner's fingers rubbed it near the thumbwheels. Elsewhere, it's gold plated.

While I'm at it, my Radiola 26 is here:

http://antiqueradios.com/gallery/d/121795-2/Radiola+26.jpg

Very good Alan....As you can seee the Radiola 32 is solid brass that is gold washed...Where-as the Radiola 26 has stammped plates that were aged..

:While I'm at it, my Radiola 26 is here:
:
:http://antiqueradios.com/gallery/d/121795-2/Radiola+26.jpg
:

:Very good Alan....As you can seee the Radiola 32 is solid brass that is gold washed...Where-as the Radiola 26 has stammped plates that were aged..
:
:
::While I'm at it, my Radiola 26 is here:
::
::http://antiqueradios.com/gallery/d/121795-2/Radiola+26.jpg
::
Thanks very much Guys. Dan
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