Since 1954 I've stripped five Wurlitzer 146 screens [facade], two 153
screens, one 145 screen, one 150 screen, one 125 screen, and two 165
screens down to the original paint. Each one was different.
The strangest was a 145 built in 1929. It was several shades of aquatic
blue, with a nautical theme for the center painting and mermaids on the
top painting. The original color for the 150 was dark-stained spar
varnish. It had been originally in a skating rink. Most of the screens
had a white or red lead base coat. Only one of the screens had actual
gilding for carved highlights. I'm beginning to suspect that there was
no such thing as a standard color scheme -- unless it was just base
coat.
We did photos during stripping. We kept the photos in the paint
trailer. The photos (and the trailer and the paint) were lost in
a fire during the early 1980s -- two young kids playing with matches.
The kids were okay.
Bill Finch
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