The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello All.
Does anyone here have a method of highlighting lettering on a reproducer. I have just stripped and painted black the back of an HMV 4 soundbox. I want to highlight the lettering which is usually in white.

Clarification: This method is for RAISED lettering...


I have done this with a felt-tipped paint pen, with the tip blotted until "barely damp", and sort of carefully daubing and repeating until getting an even high-light.

If you try to do it in one pass, usually you get way too much and / or blobs.

White? In my experience, the lettering is always in gold. Anyway, I daub gold (or white!) enamel paint all over the lettering making sure it fills every detail, wait till it gets tacky, then stretch a piece of cotton material tightly over the end of a finger, dip it in white spirit and gently stroke the excess off. If you don't press too tightly you'll go oner the top of the sunken letters, leaving the paint only where needed.This won't work of course if you've painted the black part with enamel, as you'll remove that as well, so in that case use acrylic for the lettering, and dip the rag in warm water.

Yes you are correct. Lettering is in gold. I'll try some acrylic gold paint. Thanks.