Metal cabinets are furnished in the following finishes:

 

This cabinet was a solid bronze casting that was dipped in a black oxide chemical, which turned the cabinet black. The flat edges and the high points of the casting were polished, leaving the black in the low areas and highly shined bronze edging. It was then lacquered to maintain the finish.

( B ) Nickel plated*

This cabinet is usually a solid yellow brass (or sometimes cast iron)* casting that was nickel plated. The drawer front was generally solid nickel because the nickel plating would easily wear off when closing the drawer. Yellow brass is made from copper, zinc and tin. Bronze is copper and tin. Both copper and tin are expensive, so the zinc makes it a lot cheaper to make and was used for most plated machines. Often if they didn't have all of the parts in brass, they would use a bronze part. After many years of wear, the nickel becomes worn off in spots. If you remove all of the nickel, you often find 3 colors, red bronze, yellow brass and solid nickel. This machine will have to be re-plated? Highly polished and lacquered.

 

This cabinet was solid bronze castings. Highly polished and lacquered.

 

This machine is usually made with yellow brass (or cast iron)* casting which were copper plated. The copper was thicker than nickel and would not wear off, so the drawer front was also copper plated brass. It was dipped in the black oxide chemical and the edges and high points of the pattern were highly  polished, leaving bright copper edging with the lower areas black. Also lacquered.

 

This machine was solid brass castings that were highly polished and lacquered.

 

( En ) Black enamal, ornamented. (Class 100 only)

This machine is solid yellow castings that were dipped in black oxide and the edges and high points highly polished leaving the black in the low areas. Also lacquered.

 

****Exception, NCR made a few series of registers with castings from solid cast iron. These were plated in Nickel (B) or Copper Oxide (D) finish. If these wear off, you must nickel or copper plate them again.

All cabinets are made of either bronze or brass, with the exception of registers No. 20, class 100 & 200. (Note on the 1911 Catalouge) The Ionic series no. 11 threw 25 were also cast iron. Plus there was a series in the 50's that was cast iron. To be on the sure carry a small magnet with you. If it dosn't stick it is bronze or brass. The cast iron were mostly nickel & copper plated.

 

Some of the early machines were offered in a solid wood cabinet. These cabinets were made from Oak, Quarter Sawn Oak, Birch, Mahogany, Black Walnut and many other expense woods. They had burled veneer and fancy inlayed patterns of different wood veneers. These were often accented with brass and nickel inlays, as well as nickel plated drawer pull and other  hardware.

 

Many inlay patterns were named such as: The Shell Pattern,Lilly of the Valley, Tulip Pattern, and the Persimmon pattern.

 

Some of the early NCR models had flat metal cabinets that were enameled and painted with designs comparable to the wooden inlay machines. These were very attractive and the metal was brass or bonze underneath. (Do not confuse these with the later machines that are brass or steel but painted with a wood grained finish. The later ones can be many colors as owners often painted them.)

 

Before or during the fancy casting period, NCR had a few flat metal cabinets that had a very fancy design scribed or etched into them. These were solid brass or bronze with nickel plating. Some had a mixture of small castings on them. These are extremely rare but this doesn't mean more valuable?