A crafty Victrola restoration

[Jonsheff]

Saw this and just had to post a picture, any thoughts?

[Jonsheff]

[audiophile102]

Looks like there are some good parts there, but I'm afraid the cabinet is destined for a future as a wine rack.

[drh]

Thoughts:

(1) The party responsible will be in for a big surprise upon trying to play that record on that machine.

(2) I thought "antiquing" furniture died out after the 1970s. I do hope it hasn't risen from the dead.

(3) If "antiquing" furniture has risen from the dead, at least this example isn't done in the bilious green that was popular back then.

(4) At least it wasn't one of the higher-grade Victrolas.

(5) Nonetheless,

[Duchesne]

Thoughts:

(1) The party responsible will be in for a big surprise upon trying to play that record on that machine.

(2) I thought "antiquing" furniture died out after the 1970s. I do hope it hasn't risen from the dead.

(3) If "antiquing" furniture has risen from the dead, at least this example isn't done in the bilious green that was popular back then.

(4) At least it wasn't one of the higher-grade Victrolas.

(5) Nonetheless,

So I'm not alone.

I would guess that to buy the guts and move them to a nice oak or mahogany cabinet since this one is so butchered by an uneven stripping job and then damage-control-attempt with red-oak stain. No offense to the OP intended. Methyl hydrate is your friend (you just need a mask).

Hopefully you can get the interior for a good price.

However, if YOU just absolutely love it JUST the way it is, then pick it up.
If you try to sell it off in the future, you will merely need to find someone who loves it the way you once did

[drh]

Having slept on it (OK, on the idea, not on the Victrola--I'm not quite *that* short of space yet!), one other thought occurs: this machine will never be "original" again. Maybe, if you like the style and know (or are!) a good artist, it would be a good candidate to strip and paint in "Chinoiserie," as some Victor and other machines were decorated in their youth. Instead of a losing battle to take it back to where it started, move it ahead into something new but nice with a nod to the past.

[JerryVan]

... this machine will never be "original" again.

Why not? It's just been painted with some awful "antiquing" finish. Can't see why it can't be stripped and finished. Granted, it's not one of the higher value machines that might make the project worthwhile, but it's an oak cabinet that could look good again.

[drh]

... this machine will never be "original" again.

Why not? It's just been painted with some awful "antiquing" finish. Can't see why it can't be stripped and finished. Granted, it's not one of the higher value machines that might make the project worthwhile, but it's an oak cabinet that could look good again.

Because once it's stripped/refinished, it's stripped/refinished; the original finish is gone. Is that oak? The lid wood doesn't look "grainy" enough to my eye; I thought it was probably mahogany.

[Henry]

Under lid looks oak, to my eye.

[drh]

Under lid looks oak, to my eye.

I stand corrected--when I zoomed in on the second photo, I can indeed see oak grain, buried/obscured under more "antiquing" mess. So the original decal is toast, too.