Dorfan Crackle Finish

My vintage Dorfan standard gauge 770 dark red set have a crackly finish, but it looks to me like age; it is not as uniform as the intentional crackle finish pieces i have seen, and the cracks in the paint go deeper, not just wrinkles.  My Pleasant View mustard Yellow standard gauge set has smooth paint.  I have never seen any reference - Hertz, Greenberg, or otherwise - mentioning intentional crackle finish by Dorfan.  I thnk it's an MTH thing, buit that's just IMO.

Dave

Should have looked in the book instead of relying on my memory. The book shows the O gauge 492, 493 & 494 in Crackle Green with either red or black roofs. Mine are red roofs. This is really more of an alligator skin look than crackle. I see the 99X Wide gauge listed with the Crackle Green with red or black roofs also.

Steve

Okay, I take it back, I see where the crackle green is listed for those O Gauge passenger cars.  But not for my wide gauge cars or for any locos.  And, he does say that the crackle green is "uncataloged".  Also, it's only green, no other crackle colors, and only on that set?

I think that still leaves open the question of whether Dorfan intended that finish or whether he's listing them "as found".  A little like his goof on page 217 where he lists the Chien station as a Dorfan because it was found with Dorfan decals over the "Chein" imprint?  

I agree the paint finish is more "alligator", mine are really cracked, not like the nicely wrinkled finish on Lionel "crackle".  I'm still thinking this is age, not a factory finish.

was there actually a white Chein toytown station or did the litho just fade to that color? Also wonder if the Dorfan version said "American Railway Express" under the roof edge on the solid outer wall opposite the doorway.

crackle finish tender that sold on the Bay over the weekend.

Now that's what I'm talking about, that's just really old cracked paint!!