[Chas]

Hi!

I am a passive Philco collector, as such I do not immediately recognize this model number. If you can find the model by number there should be an online original picture. I am rather certain this has a photo finish. That is a paper decal that was installed to replicate a quality wood grain, then a finish applied on top of it.

In a production environment general practice is not to stain the wood but to seal it at the time a photo finish is applied the few coats of lacquer would have a both a transparent toner in most large areas an an opaque toner to obscure poor grain The lacquer finishing dries very rapidly and such a finish routine this cabinet would be done on a moving production line in roughly 30 minutes.

You CAN replicate the photo finish or do what pleases you. You would be likely amazed to see an original finish on this radio. The grain you see now is rather poor.

I believe what you removed was the remains of the photo finish.

There is an alternative to the photo finish, that is to use ultra thin real wood veneers. This are authentic and may or not require some staining or toning to achieve maximum effect.

Correct finishing of real wood causes the wood to achieve a depth to the grain. That, captures the light in the wood cells and reflects back to the eye. This depth follows the eye or the light source.

What cabinet finishing is NOT is a dozen layers of lacquer, it is the correct sequence and materials skillfully applied.

I happen to like that model, as it has a "Deco Locomotive" design.

GL

Chas