Victor Monarch Deluxe Phonograph

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jmad7474
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Victor Monarch Deluxe Phonograph

Post by jmad7474 »

For those of you who frequented the Music thread earlier this month, you will recall I posted a thread there regarding my 14" Victor Deluxe Special record. Well, another collector on Facebook (whose name I won't mention due to him being so embarrassed over his story) found my profile there and messaged me, insisting that I hang onto the record due to its rarity and "not to do anything stupid with it like I did with my Monarch Deluxe because you will never find another!" After chatting with him for a few more minutes, it turned out he used to own one of those phonographs which was unfortunately irreparably damaged in a move he made during the 1980s when he was trying to do it on the cheap and not purchasing sufficient packing supplies. Considering the enormous value of such a rare phonograph compared against the maybe $200 or so he saved on packing supplies, it's obvious he lost THOUSANDS and paid for his foolishness dearly!

I have never seen a Monarch Deluxe phonograph (which, in the Victor product hierarchy, was above the Monarch Special and sold new for $60, or a whopping $1,700 today) and am curious to know more about them. They were supposed to be the finest phonograph Victor could make up until they discontinued the Monarch series in 1905. I know one is rumored to exist in either Germany or Poland, and another two in private collections somewhere, but is it true that there are only three of them left in existence? Does anyone on this Forum own one or know of someone who does? Even just a picture of one would be helpful, as I can only imagine how ornate and finely detailed the cabinet and metal works must have been! Thanks for your help.

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jamiegramo
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Re: Victor Monarch Deluxe Phonograph

Post by jamiegramo »

The only place I have found pictures is in the Fabrizio/Paul books and the drawings in the old Victor catologue. There was a thread on this Holy Grail machine see

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... ail+deluxe

and there are pictures here from the book. The Monarch Special was introduced in 1902 sometime after the Deluxe was withdrawn and was therefore top of the range in 1902. I can recommend the books!
Last edited by jamiegramo on Mon May 21, 2018 5:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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jmad7474
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Re: Victor Monarch Deluxe Phonograph

Post by jmad7474 »

jamiegramo wrote:The only place I have found pictures is in the Fabrizio/Paul books and the drawing in the old Victor catologue. There was a thread on this Holy Grail machine see

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... uxe#p81329

and there are pictures here from the book. The Monarch Special was introduced in 1902 sometime after the Deluxe was withdrawn and was therefore top of the range in 1902.
OHHH MY GAWDDDD it is STUNNING!! That is the most finely detailed cabinet I have ever seen on ANY phonograph, I had no idea it had lion's heads on it (the most Gothic carvings Victor probably ever put out on a mass production model)! And to think that was all carved by hand!

Thank you so much for the thread link, I especially love the old photo of the family posing with their new toy!

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jamiegramo
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Re: Victor Monarch Deluxe Phonograph

Post by jamiegramo »

I know! I know! I've always dreamed of finding one... preferably on the matching cabinet! Not much to ask. Even less chance of finding one here in Britain...

Jamie

GregVTLA
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Re: Victor Monarch Deluxe Phonograph

Post by GregVTLA »

Oh the humanity! It was a beautiful machine I bet! Guess we all have to learn somehow :(. Definitely the holy grail as was stated above.

Jerry B.
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Re: Victor Monarch Deluxe Phonograph

Post by Jerry B. »

I always thought the Monarch Deluxe was built to compete in the various Worlds Fairs and various places where the talking machine companies competed. The Monarch Deluxe was offered for sale and sold in very small numbers. Maybe it had to be offered to the public in order to qualify for competition. I have seen two in my travels around the country but neither had the matching base cabinet. .

Jerry Blais

Viva-voce
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Re: Victor Monarch Deluxe Phonograph

Post by Viva-voce »

It's almost mythical.
Worth a pretty penny to say the least!

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PHONOMIKE
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Re: Victor Monarch Deluxe Phonograph

Post by PHONOMIKE »

Jerry B. wrote:I have seen two in my travels around the country but neither had the matching base cabinet. .

Jerry Blais
Well that would be three more than I've seen. :lol:

I could be convinced into remortgaging if I ever found one of these for sale.

Mike

edisonclassm
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Re: Victor Monarch Deluxe Phonograph

Post by edisonclassm »

I was somewhat disappointed when I saw one for the first time "In the Flesh". The carving is quite crude unlike the illustrations you see of these machines.

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Re: Victor Monarch Deluxe Phonograph

Post by Viva-voce »

edisonclassm wrote:I was somewhat disappointed when I saw one for the first time "In the Flesh". The carving is quite crude unlike the illustrations you see of these machines.
That's very interesting. Sometimes artists renderings make the product look better than in person--kind of like photos of menu items in restaurants lol.
Marketing!

Steven

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