I recently purchased reproduction radio push buttons as they were completely missing. The connecting rod that holds the buttons onto the radio bezel was also missing so I fabricated a replacement rod as well. After installing them onto the set I was unhappy with the results. I just couldn't stand having such a visible part of the set not being original when the rest is almost perfect. Long story short I returned the replicas and started searching for originals. I managed to find them on an RCA radio of the same time period. Here is the radio bezel with the push buttons on it, this picture shows the connecting rod and the snap ring that holds it in place.
It was tough getting all of the push buttons off of the connecting rod as it had rusted a bit. After some lubrication and elbow grease the buttons were removed from the donor radio bezel.
Unfortunately as you can see in the picture one of the plastic covers was snapped in half. I also managed to find NOS push button labels including a "television" label to complete the bezel. I tried to use New York stations that would have been on the air in the 1939-1944 time period. I wonder what station William and his family listened to when they bought the set. I was one label and plastic cover short so I added a KDKA label in honor of the set's new home.
