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Re: SOLD! Victor VV-XX VTLA - $7500
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 2:25 pm
by OrthoFan
Raphael wrote:I bought this from Doug, one of the nicest members of this Forum. When it arrived here I decided to spruce it up, so it would fit in with the rest of the antiques that decorate our house. My wife and I believe that "originality" need not include chips, scrapes, fading, and other signs of wear and tear. That, of course is a matter for endless discussion among collectors, and to me, it's like brussels sprouts: some people love 'em, some hate 'em, and one side will never convince the other.
I gave strict instructions to my restoration shop not to strip the finish; a light wet sanding, repairs as necessary, and to try to make the outside finish comparable to the insides (which was not touched). They also applied new gold leaf and toned it down to an antique patina.
It's now back home and, in my opinion, looking damn good. Mack, my retstorer, is going to return next week to tone down the gold leaf on another XX that I have.
Raphael
Hi Raphael:
I've never come across a VV-XX in person, and just have a quick question, based on something an old-time collector told me several decades ago (long before the internet and the wealth of information now available to collectors).
Was there any evidence that a protective top-coat of shellac or varnish had been applied to the gold leaf portions of the cabinet at the factory?
OrthoFan
Re: SOLD! Victor VV-XX VTLA - $7500 (Discussion)
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 2:41 pm
by PeterF
Re: SOLD! Victor VV-XX VTLA - $7500 (Discussion)
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 4:24 pm
by Swing Band Heaven
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Re: SOLD! Victor VV-XX VTLA - $7500 (Discussion)
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 5:24 pm
by fmblizz
Unbelievable,,, this certainly explains why music box people think phonograph collectors are anal-retentive...
blizz
Re: SOLD! Victor VV-XX VTLA - $7500
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 5:57 pm
by CarlosV
Raphael wrote:
I gave strict instructions to my restoration shop not to strip the finish; a light wet sanding, repairs as necessary, and to try to make the outside finish comparable to the insides (which was not touched). They also applied new gold leaf and toned it down to an antique patina.
It's now back home and, in my opinion, looking damn good. Mack, my retstorer, is going to return next week to tone down the gold leaf on another XX that I have.
Raphael
Very professional work, the machine looks great! I wish I had access to a Mack here in Luxembourg, I would have a couple of machines for him to work on.
Re: SOLD! Victor VV-XX VTLA - $7500
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 6:22 pm
by Raphael
OrthoFan wrote:
Was there any evidence that a protective top-coat of shellac or varnish had been applied to the gold leaf portions of the cabinet at the factory?[/b]
OrthoFan
At this point I cannot say for sure what the original coatings were, there seem to be conflicting reports.
Raphael
Re: SOLD! Victor VV-XX VTLA - $7500
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 6:30 pm
by Raphael
CarlosV wrote:
Very professional work, the machine looks great! I wish I had access to a Mack here in Luxembourg, I would have a couple of machines for him to work on.
Mack is 78 and his brother who works with him is 82. They are both on the verge of retirement. Interestingly, they gave up half of their workshop last year because the adjacent business needed more space. Guess what - it’s a vinyl record-making company!
Raphael
Re: SOLD! Victor VV-XX VTLA - $7500
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 6:48 pm
by CarlosV
Raphael wrote:CarlosV wrote:
Very professional work, the machine looks great! I wish I had access to a Mack here in Luxembourg, I would have a couple of machines for him to work on.
Mack is 78 and his brother who works with him is 82. They are both on the verge of retirement. Interestingly, they gave up half of their workshop last year because the adjacent business needed more space. Guess what - it’s a vinyl record-making company!
Raphael
Unfortunately, the dearth of expert craftsmen is a trend, there are fewer and fewer people in the new generation that are willing to learn a craft and make a living out of it. Outside the large museums in Europe, it is becoming more and more difficult to find the people who will fix your old clocks, upholster the old sofas and restore gramophone cabinets. We are living the age of short-term interests, and a dwindling number of young people develop the interest for antiquities. You would be shocked to see the high quality beautiful old furniture that cannot find any buyer around here just because it is dark wood and therefore not fashionable.
Re: SOLD! Victor VV-XX VTLA - $7500 (Discussion)
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 8:57 pm
by ticticdok
Raphael,
I know what you are going through here. Some folks have nothing but time on here and quick to point out what they would do, but in reality, they don’t have the one you are referring about. If you want to paint it purple and green, that’s your business! I think it looks good and you are correct, items that look cleaner and brighter usually sells quicker.
John
Re: SOLD! Victor VV-XX VTLA - $7500 (Discussion)
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 9:18 pm
by Curt A
100+ years of cigar smoke, cooking grease, dust and dirt, rust, worn finishes, scratches, gouges, dents, water marks from plants, burn marks and on and on, are not in my opinion "patina", but rather years of abuse and neglect. The same thing can be said of many members of this forum - who wouldn't want to look 20 again?
Maybe your phonograph does too...
Preserve "as is" or "restore"... it's your choice... it's even your choice to make your machine into a bar or paint it blue... whatever you do, you won't be here in a 100 years to find out what actually happened to it.
