Leave it like it is. BKK
The light has germicidal properties. Their effectiveness in washers and dryers was debatable, but their use was supposed to impart a slight line dried scent to the clothes. They were probably taken out of machines because kids(and some adults)like to stare into machines, and uv light shining into the eyes over long periods of time is harmful to the eyes. Probably more non-sense from the government. Going outside without sun glasses does the same thing. The big bulb that lights the drum usually serves as the ballast. I would leave it alone, if you want your dryer to remain authentic. If it burns out, you may have to do some hunting to find another one. Other brands had them. My roommate is eight years older than me and he remembers his mother had a dryer with one in it. He doesn't remember the brand, but there is a picture of a dryer like it on this site in one of the members collections. If I run across it, I'll direct you to it. Pretty dryer, by the way. To bad about the porcelain. If you can find just the right color, you could touch it up a bit. Acrylic artist paint and brush would probably work fine. Acrylics are a lot stronger than they used to be(as opposed to oil). You could redo it with oil, if acrylic doesn't hold up, but it takes longer to dry. Start off with you're best match on the turquoise. Then if you need to, mix in a small amount of white, lighter or darker greens or blues or possibly lt. gray until you get the match. Test on a piece of cardboard or similar material before you put it on the dryer. A steady hand, good light, and good sight are a plus, of course. Hope I helped. Good luck. BKK
