Those are the radios in the photo. I adjusted the light levels, but it’s not bright enough on that shelf.

I sort of stumbled into this collection. I had the three on the sides for years and two of them were gifts from my wife after I bought the first one because I liked it so much. Then yesterday, I saw that beautiful one in the middle in an antique store/junk shop for $18 and had to have it. Now we have it on that bookshelf in the photo to display them all, but the lighting is really inadequate. I want to install a light above them at the top of the shelf to show them off better, but I really don’t know much about this stuff in terms of what sort of light I should be using and I don’t want to waste my money on the wrong one.

None of my searching for how to light a Bakelite radio brings up anything fruitful no matter what search terms I can think to use.

Any ideas?

One last thought- Bakelite seems to love dust. I’m going to dust them regularly, but if there is a way to light them well without making the dust show up well, that would be great.

  • talEnglish
    1·
    5 months ago

    One last thought- Bakelite seems to love dust. I’m going to dust them regularly, but if there is a way to light them well without making the dust show up well, that would be great.

    Are you going to listen to the radios or look at them?

    If you don’t need to listen to them, so the glass won’t be an issue, I imagine that you could put them in one of those glass-fronted display cabinets that are designed for this sort of thing, displaying china and such.

    EDIT: Also, I remember reading that Bakelite does slowly break down. I don’t know if sunlight accelerates that; it does affect a lot of substances. If so, you might want to keep it away from sunlight.

    kagis

    Yeah, sounds like it.

    https://www.beeplastic.com/blogs/beeplastic-information-station/unraveling-bakelite-understanding-its-disadvantages-and-limitations-in-the-modern-world

    Extended exposure to heat and sunlight also degrades pure Bakelite faster than more advanced plastics.

    Discoloration – Bakelite often yellows with age and extended UV exposure. Keeping items out of sunlight can minimize this effect.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldOP
      21·
      5 months ago

      Yeah, definitely keeping it away from sunlight. No question. And they are definitely just to look at. I don’t think I would have a good way to mount the glass though.