Any thoughts on this VE-XVIII

[yvonnemcg5]

Hello!

In the process of moving our parents and an argument has started on if this may be worth anything or should be taken to Goodwill. It is a VE-XVIII, #687. It seems to be in great shape, considering it's over 100 years old. It works and plays the records that are in the albums. The albums are lettered A-P. The only thing that seems to be missing is the light bulb on top.

Just plugged in it and it works! Played the record like a champ!

Any help or info on the machine would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Yvonne

[fran604g]

There are several similar examples that have been discussed on the forum, if you conduct a search you'll find a lot of information.

It certainly has significant value, but it could be difficult to arrive at an actual dollar value, so my advice to you is to do your due diligence carefully.

I would expect it's value to be in the $1500 range or possibly more.

Best regards,
Fran

[AmberolaAndy]

You have one of the most desirable Victrola models ever made! DON’T SELL IT. A lot of machine collectors would sell their soul to have a machine like yours. (Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit! lol) But it’s definitely a machine on many collectors “most wanted” lists.

[Raphael]

Yvonne,

Where is the machine located?

Thanks,
Raphael

[yvonnemcg5]

Just tested it and it works! Played the recorder put on perfectly!

[PHONOMAN]

I would keep it as family heirloom and enjoy it.
It is worth about $3,500 to $5,000.
I would not sell it for less than $3,500

[Lucius1958]

You have quite a treasure there!

It's always a good idea, though, to have the motor & wiring thoroughly checked out.

Bill

[outune]

Hi Yvonne-- I just finished restoring a VE-XVIII. They are beautiful and wonderful machines. Yours looks to be in really nice condition. There are many folks on this forum who will be glad to offer their expertise. I second the opinion of keeping it as a family heirloom. Once it's gone, it's gone.
The bulb is a candelabra base (⅜" diameter--like many night lights)-- a 5 to 7 watt bulb seems to work well. I have a round, clear, 10 watt bulb on mine and it looks great--perhaps a bit bright though.

Anyway- Congrats on a very nice machine-- Hopefully you'll find any assistance you need from the collectors on the forum.

EDIT-- Just noticed that your lid support is disconnected-- an easy fix if it is still all there-- The lid support triggers a switch that turns on the light when the lid is raised up. And having all the albums is a big plus, too.

Brad Abell
Virginia

[Hailey]

I am a little confused regarding the value that has been stated on this thread. From my experience, the electrola model will not command the same price as the standard XVIII. And lately, a good XVIII will struggle to hit $2000, if that.

[zenith82]

Your machine was made in 1915 and was literally top of the line in its day. It remains a desirable machine today.

A few tips on the care and use. First, a new needle should be used for each play and then discarded. Steel needles were meant to be used only once. They are still manufactured today and are inexpensive. Also, the reproducer will likely need to be rebuilt with fresh gaskets. This isn't difficult to do and the materials are not expensive. There are services out there that will rebuild a reproducer for you if you aren't comfortable doing it yourself.

Value is a tricky thing. While I agree that there was a time when a machine like this would have easily brought $3k-$5k, those days are behind us largely due to the internet. There are a lot of items out there perceived as rare before the internet brought more examples out of hiding. While there weren't a lot of VV-XVIII and VE-XVIIIs made, it seems that a significant number have survived. I'd say in the neighborhood of $2k would be a more realistic expectation if you were to try to sell it today. Whatever you do, don't send it to Goodwill.