Found - Phonograph in a Pawn Shop - What do you think?

Discussions on Talking Machines & Accessories
outune
Victor IV
Posts: 1185
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 3:13 pm

Re: Found - Phonograph in a Pawn Shop - What do you think?

Post by outune »

Happy Birthday! Now go buy a Lottery ticket because you obviously are doing something right. :)

It's this kind of story that keeps us all in the "hunt".... There are still incredible bargains to be found.

Congrats!

Brad Abell

VanEpsFan1914
Victor VI
Posts: 3165
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2017 11:39 am
Personal Text: I've got both kinds of music--classical & rag-time.
Location: South Carolina

Re: Found - Phonograph in a Pawn Shop - What do you think?

Post by VanEpsFan1914 »

Basically the holy grail of Victor phonographs WITH the papier-mache horn--excellent!

Keep us posted as you restore it. Any ideas on the date? I doubt it's a 1902--my Victor III is a 1907 and the paper tag dates it to 1902 as well. Looks fantastic!

7309
Victor O
Posts: 84
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2016 7:22 pm
Location: Millsboro, Delaware, USA

Re: Found - Phonograph in a Pawn Shop - What do you think?

Post by 7309 »

From what I have been able to determine, it is an early Victor 6. It has the "6" as opposed to the "VI" on the plate, a 4 digit serial number beginning with a 3, and with the composition horn it should place it in late 1904. If anybody else has a better idea I would be happy to hear it.

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Wolfe
Victor V
Posts: 2755
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:52 pm

Re: Found - Phonograph in a Pawn Shop - What do you think?

Post by Wolfe »

Viva-voce wrote: And my favourite part--the haggle on the $250 asking price: "Is that the best you can do?"
well if that isn't the icing on the (birthday) cake ---I love it :)


Steven
If I was the shop owner, upon being asked that question, I'd have raised it to to $350. :P

outune
Victor IV
Posts: 1185
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 3:13 pm

Re: Found - Phonograph in a Pawn Shop - What do you think?

Post by outune »

What I find just amazing is that the Pawn Shop apparently didn't do even the simplest research on the machine. Five minutes online would have revealed that they had a special item in their possession.
Don't get me wrong--- I don't feel the least bit sorry for him/her. They are in the selling business and didn't do their research--- Their loss.
I'm glad the machine was discovered and will be restored-- Great Story!

Brad Abell

Viva-voce
Victor III
Posts: 758
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 1:49 am
Location: British Columbia, Canada

Re: Found - Phonograph in a Pawn Shop - What do you think?

Post by Viva-voce »

This reminds me--I've had one pawn shop experience with antique phonos, but it wasn't anywhere close to your finding a Vic 6 :)

Years ago, in LA, just before the advent of Internet, I stopped in a pawnshop for a casual browse on my way home from school and they had a dirty, dusty front-mount machine, with an all-brass horn (no dents), in a pile, disassembled. I had never owned an outside horn machine so had no idea what brand or model it was and there was no data plate or logo. The shop owner said he didn't know if it worked and was willing to sell it to me for $50. I got him to agree to $35 and I rushed home with it. My parents laughed and thought I was nuts at first. Spent the weekend in the garage cleaning it up and assembling it, and it seemed to work fine. I made a few calls around town and reached a local collector who came to see it and told me I had an all-original Talk-o-phone Ennis model. I never rebuilt the reproducer or did anything else to the machine. I kept and enjoyed it a few years then sold it for $750---and used the money to buy a mahogany L-door Victrola XVI and a mahogany music cabinet instead and never regretted it-- but at the time I got a lot more enjoyment out of the L-door as it was eye-candy to me (they still are) and I was really into turn of the century mahogany furniture then. But now I still kinda wish I hung on to that talk-o-phone LOL

Steven

Vinrage_mania
Victor II
Posts: 391
Joined: Thu May 03, 2018 2:03 pm
Location: SF Bay Area

Re: Found - Phonograph in a Pawn Shop - What do you think?

Post by Vinrage_mania »

Good for you!...amazing :D

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Lucius1958
Victor VI
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Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2010 12:17 am
Location: Where there's "hamburger ALL OVER the highway"...

Re: Found - Phonograph in a Pawn Shop - What do you think?

Post by Lucius1958 »

The Phono Gods were certainly smiling upon you that day! :o :clover:

Bill

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MTPhono
Victor III
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Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:58 pm
Location: Hayden, ID

Re: Found - Phonograph in a Pawn Shop - What do you think?

Post by MTPhono »

Congratulations and happy birthday! What a wonderful find.

drboruff
Victor O
Posts: 95
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:43 am

Re: Found - Phonograph in a Pawn Shop - What do you think?

Post by drboruff »

Congratulations on an outstanding purchase. It is a little hard to see in the pics, however the reproducer appears to be a Mobley...even better if true!
David

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