1965 Wildcat - Front Grille Resto - Painting

My front grille needs resto and im wondering if it was ever painted?
the main angled grill sections look in old photos to be painted black,
leaving two horizontal central bars left chrome.

or maybe the angled bars left chrome on top edge but panted down either side?
or could be its not painted at all?
any help appreciated

 

See if this helps, your first description looks like you are on the right track.

 

wow, that looks beautiful. are all your angled fins totally painted black?
its hard to say if that is the light reflecting off them.

 

I think I masked the horizontal parts, painted all vertical fins black, then used a rag and solvent to reveal the leading edge of the fins. And clean up the fiddly bit between them.