The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Great pun guys. The only thing funnier than the way that Victrola looks is the way George just trolled the whole Forum.

Here's another miniaturized phono, a C-19. These folks spent over $900 having this rebuilt by a professional furniture restorer.

CDBPDX wrote:Here's another miniaturized phono, a C-19. These folks spent over $900 having this rebuilt by a professional furniture restorer.

Is there a pic of before?

Found this for $75. Seems to have been poorly painted black. Never seen one, dont know the value, any info on it?

My best advice is to proceed on any project like this with your eyes wide open. If you can do the work yourself and you enjoy the prospect of saving a machine, then go for it. But you should know that in the end you will still have something worth very little monetarily. The people that paid good money on the C-19 now have an object worth very little in my opinion. When it comes time to sell, how would you represent either machine? If you are going to say that it was cut down back in the day, you'd better have receipts or written accounts from early owners. You'll need the provenance to support any value.

I personally think your efforts would be much better spent doing a restoration on a complete machine. I am not trying to be negative but please do be cautious.

Best wishes, Jerry Blais

Jerry B. wrote:

Found this for $75. Seems to have been poorly painted black. Never seen one, dont know the value, any info on it?

My best advice is to proceed on any project like this with your eyes wide open. If you can do the work yourself and you enjoy the prospect of saving a machine, then go for it. But you should know that in the end you will still have something worth very little monetarily. The people that paid good money on the C-19 now have an object worth very little in my opinion. When it comes time to sell, how would you represent either machine? If you are going to say that it was cut down back in the day, you'd better have receipts or written accounts from early owners. You'll need the provenance to support any value.

I personally think your efforts would be much better spent doing a restoration on a complete machine. I am not trying to be negative but please do be cautious.

Best wishes, Jerry Blais

Totally agree. The c19 may have a family history. I couldn't imagine someone spending that much for any other purpose. I passed on it, but I hope someone gets it and appreciates it. I'd rather keep it short if i were to get it, I think the work done to shorten it is more valuable than trying to re-do it. Im interested in seeing more modified machines though.

Im interested in seeing more modified machines though.

I am currently in California on vacation but will be home soon. I purchased a machine that was highly modified and can't wait to post it on our Forum. Although I have no written provenance the condition points to modification done when the machine was new or nearly new. Some may not agree but modifications done by original owners make a machine more interesting.

Jerry Blais

Jerry B. wrote:

Im interested in seeing more modified machines though.

I am currently in California on vacation but will be home soon. I purchased a machine that was highly modified and can't wait to post it on our Forum. Although I have no written provenance the condition points to modification done when the machine was new or nearly new. Some may not agree but modifications done by original owners make a machine more interesting.

Jerry Blais

I'll make a post about it, and hopefully everyone can share their encounters with modified machines.

A bit off topic, but Yesterday at the Antiques Roadshow they had a banjo from the 1920s that was heavily modified/improved in the days, engraved, gilded, etc, probably for a lot of money back then. Nowadays because of these mods it's only worth about $5,000, while an unmodified one in the same great condition would be worth about $7,500. I know, these valuations are always to be taken with a grain of salt, but it shows that even the best modifications may make something rare and unique, but may not result in better value. From a collector's standpoint I might still prefer a great interesting piece over a run of the mill item, just have to accept that this is for my enjoyment and not for value.

Andreas