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I am asking knowledgeable TMF members who own one or all of the following Victor Electrolas for historic information to document.

1. Do you own one of the three following 1928 Victor Electrolas that have their "original" leather bound albums: VE10-69 or VE9-54 or VE9-56? I have recently added photos of Electrolas with 6 album sets to clarify. The albums in these 2 machines pictured are just assembled sets of 10" & 12" without regard to numbering or names.

2. These particular Electrolas had 6 leather bound album sets. 10"= VOL.I, VOL.II, VOL.III & 12"= VOL.IV, VOL.V, VOL.VI.

3. These particular 6 volume sets had alphabetically ranged names above the volume numbers. They were grouped 10" A to Z and 12" grouped A to Z.

4. If you have an original set in your Electrola, please inform me what the names are on each volume so I can determine the alphabetical range used. An attached photo or photos to your reply would be really great to see for verification.

5. My last question will involve the colors used for each volume. The binder leather colors were Dark Green, Maroon, Navy Blue, Dark Brown and a Light Brown. If yours looks black it is actually Navy Blue. The labels were Black, Red, Lt Brown and I have even seen Green.

I already have verified what other Electrola volume sets would contained such as the 4 volume set used in a VE7-26 or VE10-35 or 8 volume set in a VE9-16 & VE9-18 as well as the 12 volume set in a Victrola 8-35. Damon (Ampico66) had already done the homework on the 4 volume and 12 volume sets with his great reproduction binder covers. However, the 6 volume Electrolas is still a mystery as to where the alphabetical breaks occurred and what the names were that were used.

By the way if you happen to own a RCA Victor RE-154 or RE-156 I believe your 6 volume sets all have VICTOR LIBRARY in lance of the alphabetical names. If you have a I through VI set that has the two names please provide the information above.

Thanks in advance!

Carlton Smith
electrolaman 64

I have VE 9-55 and VE 10-70 albums. These pictures should answer your questions about them.

Hi Wayne,

Thanks for the response, but nope I am not asking about info. on the 1927 first generation changer loader boxes. I am talking about the leather bound record albums in all 1928 Electrolas.

However, it is my mistake as I see now I listing the 9-55. I meant that to be the 9-56. So I understand you response and I have now corrected that to 9-56. It is good though to see an original example of the 10-70 loader boxes numbering system between the 10" and 12" boxes. It is interesting they went down side I - IV and the other V - VIII mixing the 10" and 12" box sequence.

The photo below is of what I am asking about and the names used on each box and only of original 6 album sets which go 10" I II III and 12" IV V VI. I am after the original names used above and again only for the 6 album sets.

BY the way I have an extra 10" loader box like you have pictured if you should need one.It is numbered VII if that matters to you.

Best regards,
Carlton

Carlton,

Did you ever find out which alphabetic names and which colors of the covers and labels for the six volume set are suppose to be?

Hi Wayne,

Yes I did and attached is a PDF of all of my research so far.

Best regards,
Carlton

Fantastic work Carlton, I’ll print your pdf file and see what I can do about anything I can contribute to it over time

Btw, the last two days I completed three sets of 12 album covers that I purchased years ago. I covered my collection of brown orthophonic albums with bad bindings I have been collecting. Can you tell which bin has the original album bindings? Of course you can. But can you tell what big mistake I made when placing the labels on the covers? Of course you can. I reversed the locations for the volume numbers and the alphabetic artists. That was a bummer.

Hi Wayne, Well oops! But they still all look nice! Maybe you can flip the labels top to bottom if you are careful.

BTW, I need some brown faux leather orthophonic albums for my Cromwell. 10" A and B, 12" C and D with loops. With out the loops they are a pain to get out. Honestly though I would take anything that did not have ratty spines to get the spaces filled. Even the really early orthophonic brown cloth like I have stuck in it in the photo. Although they need to be with the pulls. My Cromwell is definitely 1926. I have not been successfully finding anything for awhile. But I am planning on going to Stanton's next week.


Best,
Carlton