Going rate for a Credenza? And where it went from there.

[estott]

Those knobs are correct. They are a standard pattern Victor started using on machines in the mid 20's and kept using into the radio era.

[FloridaClay]

Those knobs are correct. They are a standard pattern Victor started using on machines in the mid 20's and kept using into the radio era.

Thanks! I thought they were in the ball park, but differ somewhat from the ones on my 9-15 and there are none left on the Credenza for a sample, so I wanted to make sure before buying.

Thanks again,

Clay

[estott]

There might be some trivial differences, but the important thing is having four that match.

[FloridaClay]

Here are some pics of the Credenza "as received." Will post some "after" pics later. This is a 1925 example, by the way—serial number 15,860.

After closer inspection, looks like much of the cabinet will not need refinishing, although the top will--flaked off lacquer and black areas where somebody parked some leaking flower pots over the years—and there is that chip to fix. The veneer is all solid save for one very small missing piece on a back edge. A couple of the bun feet are starting to crack, so will need to stabilize those.

The gold work is cleaning up really well. The plating on the tone arm and speed control is excellent, except for two worn areas near the reproducer where thumb and forefinger have been used over the years to lift the reproducer on and off records. The tone arm is the self-supporting variety, so no broken pot metal mount to worry about. The pneumatic lid supports work.

Motor is packed up to send off to George Vollema and reproducer to Peter Wall. As I live in a condo with no place to do proper lacquer work and have zero experience with the multi-tone technique Victor used, will likely send the cabinet out to a local antique restoration house. Watching eBay for a proper set of door knobs.

Knowing that the factory that made it had closed, I bought a piece of the proper grille cloth last year and squirreled it away. Now if I can just remember where I put it!

Clay

[FloridaClay]

As the vendor did not have 4 original matching knobs, I went prowling on the internet. These are almost identical in size, color, and design, are solid brass underneath the finish, as I believe the originals are, and should work -- at least until a reasonably priced original set comes along. But if they are as good as they look when the come I may just use them permantently.

http://www.knobs4less.com/alna81734chbz.html

Clay

[Uncle Vanya]

If you are replacing the grille cloth, save the old stuff, for there is enough good left to do a couple of small Orthophonics or several radios.

The new grillecloth is no longer being made. Antique equipment has supposedly been scrapped.

[FloridaClay]

If you are replacing the grille cloth, save the old stuff, for there is enough good left to do a couple of small Orthophonics or several radios.

The new grillecloth is no longer being made. Antique equipment has supposedly been scrapped.

Vanya,

Unfortunately it was all quite rotten and unusable. Probalby because it had been in storage for years in a storage space with no climate control.

It is really sad that the factory closed. They made a perfect copy.

Clay

[FloridaClay]

Well, you never knows what you will find with an old phonograph. It turns out that the "chip" on the front is termite damage. There are a couple of other soft spots on the bottom edge on the right side and when I turned the cabinet on its back to inspect the bottom I found a perfectly normal looking glue block that was in fact a paper thin outer shell. The little critters had completely munched out the inside of the block. Fortunately, though, the damage is limited to the bottom board and is not extensive and I found no sign of active infestation. The restorer will fumigate it for me just to make certain.

By the way, the restorer came yesterday to give an estimate -- $275 which I thought quite reasonable. He seems quite knowledgeable and shares my values of preserving as much of the original finish as possible in the restoration process. If he does a quality job on this one I may give him some other work.

And yes, I know that when all is done I likely will have more invested in this one than its market value, but I have a weakness for wanting to pull fine old machines back from the brink and save them for a few more generations. Have done the same with some of my music box collection.

Clay

[FloridaClay]

Things are meandering along with the restoration of the Credenza.

George V. has completed rebuilding the motor and it is in transit back to me from Michigan. Turns out there was some bad amateur tinkering with it at some point, but George has put it right.

I have found an appropriate size piece of Orthophonic grille cloth from APSCO and have that ordered. I had a piece squirreled away somewhere, as mentioned earlier, but darn if I can find it, so just ordered new. (Ordering new means, of course, that I will find my stash any minute now!)

Found the correct color felt on eBay and have that installed.

Have treated the horn wood with glycerin and alcohol as recommended in an interesting article on “Tim’s Phonographs and Old Records.” And by the way, one 16 oz bottle of glycerin mixed with an equal amount of denatured alcohol is entirely enough--half the amount in the article's recipe.

http://www.gracyk.com/credenza.shtml

In the process of doing the latter, I notice the number 408 stamped into the back of the horn structure. See pic. Does anybody know what that number signifies?

Clay

[FloridaClay]

Here are some after pictures. I am very pleased with the final result. The cabinet restorer did a great job. It is though the termite damage at the bottom was never there and he did well with replicating the multi-tone finish.

Clay