The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have recently bought a Columbia 163 portable, which is as rare as hen's teeth over here in the UK. It was in a rather bad state when it arrived, with the brass edging strips to the motorboard too badly corroded to be renovated, and much of the brass plating on the turntable and arm base needing to be replated. All this can be sorted, but can anyone tell me what the outside case fittings (carrying handle ends, winding key, escutcheon, lid fasteners etc) were originally finished in? I think I can detect traces of a gold colour, so were these brass plated, or that strange "flat" gold I have noticed on some US portables? Any help much appreciated, as brass plating is very expensive, and I don't want to have them done if it isn't true to the original.

Barry