header board materials

[sheepsail]

What materials were header boards typically made of?

 

Many models seem to make this from PE brass.   I notice in the Lumber ship photos, they all look identical.   

 

 

What makes the white part stick out even when these were in a derelict state? 

 

I also note that in one photo. of the Forester,  I got from the museum where the headier board is clear.  That the port side is upside down from the starboard side?

 

 

Were these stamped out of something?   It looks like they were mass produced and placed one way or the other depending on which side was needed.

 

-julie