This XVII is pretty early and $500 seems like a good price

[EarlH]

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/esd/atq/4877817545.html

I would agonize over this if it were nearby. These things are prone to leg damage, but this one really doesn't look to be all beat up.

[Henry]

Here's Paul edie's page on the XVII: http://www.victor-victrola.com/XVII.htm. Looks like it isn't all that rare. This is an early one, from 1916 (not 1913, as the ad states).

The clincher is "Comes with some Al Jolson records." Now who could pass that up?

[EarlH]

They really aren't all that rare, but they are nice. I would have thought the very earliest of them would have come with an exhibition reproducer, but this one doesn't appear to have one. But it's also nickel plated so that's been swapped, so maybe it should have one.

[Jerry B.]

Henry and Earl are correct, the XVII is far from rare. It's also a cheaper and a more marketable version of the XVIII. But it's such a good looking machine that exudes elegance from its curved sides. I'm a sucker for this type of Victrola. Someone should call and ask the seller for their best price minus the valuable Jolson records and spare needles. Jerry Blais

[Henry]

They really aren't all that rare, but they are nice. I would have thought the very earliest of them would have come with an exhibition reproducer, but this one doesn't appear to have one. But it's also nickel plated so that's been swapped, so maybe it should have one.

Looks to me as though this machine has the fat taper tube introduced on this model a/o Nov. 1917, along with the no. 2 sound box (see Victor Data Book, p.144). From the photos, I can't tell what sound box this particular example has, but the no. 2 would be correct. It is certainly a nice-looking machine!

[Jerry B.]

I called the seller and they will take $350 for this beautiful machine. I am tempted and I could have a relative collect it and I could pick it up in August at the APS sale. I would be just as happy if another Forum member added it to their collection rather than I purchase it for resale. Somebody buy it! Jerry Blais