Chas Parker Vise's original paint color?

[cpyne]

I recently acquired a Chas Parker 958 which I'm debating restoring vs leaving as is. It has green paint in some areas and black in others. Does anyone know what color(s) these were sold as originally? Even when looking at it with a magnifying glass, it's not obvious to me which is the original paint layer.

https://imgur.com/a/VldJm

 

[MayerMR]

looks like it was originally that pretty standard "Machinery Grey" - a grey-green color used on lots of war-era tools.

That said, don't use the "machinery grey" Rustoleum Performance Enamel - it's just a straight light grey - like primer grey, but gloss.

 

[jimreed2160]

Almost everything industrial that is pre 1930 was finished with black asphaltum like the Model T Ford. Battleship grey was common after that with other colors following quickly, like lead red. All of my old Parkers are black.