The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

The paint job is not original, and if you repaint it again it will still not be original. If it was mine I would keep it as it is.

Epigramophone is correct but I would repaint it for the same reason. I really like the humpback Victor II and I get tired of seeing nothing but Victor horns on Victor machines. A nice aftermarket horn adds interest to a collection. And that horn has nice dimensions for the Victor II. So if (and that's a huge "if") you have the skills to accomplish a nice repaint, I say go for it! You'll always have a repainted horn but it does not have to be one that screams of a repaint.

I showed DeeDee the photo of the machine and as she looked I asked "If I came home with this horn would you expect me to repaint it?" Her very quick reply was "I hope so"!

Jerry Blais

I'd say keep it as is. Somebody did a nice job with a decidedly "decorative" point of view. It ain't original, but it will never be that way again anyway. I have a blue 1913 VVXVI that manages to elude getting refinished for the same reason. If the paint job wasn't so well done... With all that said, I rather like Jerry's "two horn alternative" as well.

Best Wishes,

Martin

I say keep it as it is. I like it and it looks great on the machine.

Jim

I guess ultimately it's up to chrisg to decide. Given that it may be a H&S horn, it would best be repainted in the original style. And it would depend on how much effort the owner wants to put in. Seems like a worthy project. Besides, Jerry's Dee Dee has spoken, and who can deny the lady!

Another option may be to sell the horn to someone that likes it, (if you don't), and get a horn that is more traditional. If everyone loved roses, what would a daisy do?

It reminds me of a wedding decoration, but that's me. If we all liked the same thing, all horns would have the same decoration. Even Edison made some horns that were not black.