Can anyone help identify this portable RCA Victrola

[Historygeek888]

Hi, I purchased this through an online auction, in pretty good shape but the turntable won't turn on its own. I can spin it and it will continue for a bit. Crank seems ok, I can crank it and feel resistance. I opened it up and the motor seems intact, not missing anything, but I don't want to further investigate until I can figure out exactly what the model is. The tonearm is in the front right corner, the hole for the crank is in the front of the machine to the right of the latch. There is also a covered needle holder with a spring lid to the left of the used needle cup.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I'd love to get this running.

[Wes K]

Looks like a model 2-19, made in the mid 1930's. This machine was made by an outside vendor and badged as an RCA Victor model.

There is another thread here on the forum with pictures, original slaes prices and production figures at viewtopic.php?f=2&t=32184 that may be of interest.

[Historygeek888]

Hi, yes, I had seen that post, but the fact that the hole for the crank on the one pictured in that post was on the side, while it's on the front on mine threw me off. But that's probably just a production variation then, right?

[Wes K]

Yes, that's what I was thinking. The 2-19 shown doesn't match yours exactly, though the 2-19 is much closer to what you have than any of the others listed. Yours has a record hold-down spring and not a storage box like the one shown. I'm thinking yours could be an early 2-19. It seems the 2-19 was introduced about the time the 2-65 was discontinued, and the hold-down spring looks like the one on the 2-65. Have yoo had the turntable off? On my 2-65 is a paper tag with the model and serial under the turntable. I do not know if their outside-sourced models will have this tag or not.