FOR SALE: Nice Early OAK VV-X Table Model Victrola - $475

[FellowCollector]

Hard to find early model VV-X victrola in oak. This is the nicest condition VV-X table model victrola I've ever seen (or found) and finding it in oak is a real bonus as most are mahogany.

Pictures are below and, with apologies, they (the pictures) are not the best I know. This is a hefty beast and I was just too lazy today to pick it up and move it someplace in our home where there is excellent natural lighting. I never like using flash for pictures but the room was just too dark.

Anyway, yes, this is indeed oak...it's not mahogany in spite of how some of the pictures appear. Interestingly, there is no lid decal on this one and the family of the original owner informed me that this has never been refinished, repaired or anything other than well cared for and I can find no contrary evidence otherwise.

There is (and was) no key with it when I purchased this years ago. It winds and plays very nicely with a nice quiet motor.

Nice original "OWENS & BEERS" Victor dealer tag inside too (see pic).

No shipping on this. It's very heavy and the risk of damage in shipping is more than I care to consider even with meticulous packaging.

PM with interest and to discuss pick up details. Located in upstate New York.

Thanks,
Doug

[oldphonographsteve]

That is very odd that it doesn't have a decal. The crazing on the finish does suggest that it could be original. If that is a factory fluke that would make this a very special machine!

-Stephen

[Django]

Very nice machine. I love the oak. Great dealer tag too.

[Lucius1958]

That is very odd that it doesn't have a decal. The crazing on the finish does suggest that it could be original. If that is a factory fluke that would make this a very special machine!

-Stephen

I'm not quite sure: there's an area on the lid that looks suspiciously like a decal had been removed...

Bill

[FellowCollector]

I've carefully examined the area under the lid where a decal would normally be and see no evidence of removal. What may be seen inside is the reflection of my hands (and me) holding the camera.

The lid on the earliest table model Victrolas (X, XI and XII) props into its open position almost vertical relative to all of the later table model Victrolas. And being 6'4" with my shoes on I had to crouch down quite a bit to take a full front picture as seen here. I have it sitting temporarily on one of my small Herzog cylinder cabinets which is relatively short in height.

I don't believe that this one ever had a lid decal. This one's nice and original in every respect from my perspective. I'm simply trying to make some room.

Oh...and apologies for the dust on the neighboring Victor III and Amberola 75. I forgot to wipe those cabinets off before taking the pictures of the VV-X. Too many machines and not enough time to keep them all dusted.

Doug

[brianu]

is it me or the lighting in the photo, or does the color of the finish seem unusually reddish?

I have a tabletop X in oak as well, the veneer is lifting all over the place but the decal is present and the finish is totally original... it looks much more like the darker (non-golden) oak finishes you see on many victrolas, not at all red like this one...

don't get me wrong, this looks like a great machine at a fair price, but (aside from the missing decal) I can't get around the color.

[briankeith]

I agree Brianu

[oldphonographsteve]

is it me or the lighting in the photo, or does the color of the finish seem unusually reddish?

I have a tabletop X in oak as well, the veneer is lifting all over the place but the decal is present and the finish is totally original... it looks much more like the darker (non-golden) oak finishes you see on many victrolas, not at all red like this one...

don't get me wrong, this looks like a great machine at a fair price, but (aside from the missing decal) I can't get around the color.

I genuinely think there is a possibility this machine is a factory oddity, considering it doesn't have a decal and the machine seems to be stained as if it were mahogany, as well as the demonstration of its age due to the alligatoring. Perhaps it was a factory worker's first day on the job and this was the result!

-Stephen

[brianu]

I thought that something like that could be the case as well, and that would make this scarce version even more interesting... but it also has that dealer marker, suggesting it progressed through retail sale in a store (instead of just being abandoned during production because of the color error (if its an error at all))... could this possibly have been a special order finish?

[FellowCollector]

The underside of the motor board as well as all other areas (that would reveal a later refinishing) are exactly the same finish color as the entire cabinet. This suggests (to me anyway) that the cabinet is as it was when it left the factory.

As Steve suggests, this may be an oddity or as Brian suggests perhaps this was a special order (perhaps ordered by Owens & Beers for a descendent of the family I purchased this from). In any case, it's a nice machine and it plays and presents very well. I feel that I have it priced fairly too.