Victor Credenza cabinet - stamped-in number?

[frenchmarky]

I am about to finish up the refinishing of my Victor Credenza, and noticed each door, and the cabinet itself, all have the same four-digit number stamped on their bottom edge, 7012. That doesn't match the serial number plate, so does this number have any known coding, like for the type of finish, wood etc.? Thanks.

[Jerry B.]

Interesting question and I wish I had a good answer. The large Edisons, like an Amberola 1A or 1B usually have all the major cabinet parts stamped with numbers that match the serial number on the ID tag. That number should also match the number somewhere on the mechanism casting. Jerry Blais

[gramophone78]

I too have seen this on other Victor machines.Victor Vl machines have a # stamped on the back inside edge of the bottom case and the same # on the under side of the lid.The same on my Victrola XVll and my Vic Vl Herzog record cabinet.Therefore I think it is put on the pieces once they are all fitted in the cabinet shop before assembly.This was to avoid mixing with parts from another.A form of quaity control.It seems that it was mainly mahogany was done like this.Don't forget that cabinet parts like doors,lids,etc....all had to be stained and varnish as separtate pieces.Then after there drying time they would all be sent to the assembly shop where all the metal hinges and hardware,etc... were added.If they did not marked them can you imagine trying to put that door to that cabinet without a pre-finish and pre-fit!!!What a mess that would be.

[frenchmarky]

Checked my other two Victrolas, under each door is stamped:

VV-210 -- "18 7"
10-50X -- " 8 2"

Maybe one number was the cabinet and the other was the finish, and the Credenza just has the numbers strung together. Or maybe it was cabinet + crank vs. manual version, who knows. Could probably decode it with more examples, but somebody has probably already done that and I just haven't found anything on the net yet. Didn't find info about this in the Victor Data Book or Look for the Dog.

[spin78's]

I too am refinishing a Credenza. Those numbers are applied to keep the veneers matching. The doors become a "set" after the veneer is applied. @frenchmarky any thought as how to match the two tone stain on the original finish? I've heard the factory sprayed two shades of lacquer to achieve the effect.

[martinola]

Mohawk makes spray lacquer with and without colored dye. I see it being sold for radio restorers who wish to do a two tone look. Here's their link:
http://www.mohawk-finishing.com/catalog ... ictNbr=170
I haven't tried it, but I do like their other products, so maybe I'll give it a go myself.

Martin

[frenchmarky]

<<any thought as how to match the two tone stain on the original finish?>>

I only did mine with 3 good coats of shellac without the final lacquer, and will dull the final shininess down with steel wool. I was just going for restoring a more original dark color and a decent semi-satin finish on this machine, being my first restoration attempt. I figure if a future owner wants to go full bore on it, they can simply continue with it by dulling down the shellac with steel wool and then apply the lacquer, since I was told that is how it would normally be done anyway. I like the way it looks now and may "up" my skill level on the next machine that comes along. 8 }

The numbers to keep the veneers matched up makes sense, I can see where the veneer on the two center doors on mine, for instance, were cut to be mirror images of each other.
Marky