American Walnut Victrola 230

[Ampico66]

I picked this up this weekend. It was sold to William Theiler in 1922 who was an accountant, graduate of Marquette University in MIlwaukee, WI. The machine was at the Theiler household at 3114 N. First St., Milwaukee, WI until his daughter moved it to St. Louis, MO decades later. An electric record changer was added in the 1950s. A decade or so later it was professionally refinished and converted into a liquor cabinet. Mr. Theiler's daughter worked for the Webster Groves Trust Company and retired in 1978. I was first employed with Bank of America in that same building in 2006. The bank was sold several times and remains Bank of America. Furthermore Bank of America remains my employer.

This is the second liquor cabinet Victrola I've picked up this season and I want to be clear that I have nothing against liquor cabinets, it's just that I prefer they are put back to Victrolas where applicable.

Removing the shelves wasn't exceedingly difficult and the way the shelving strips were glued and nailed in caused little noticeable damage to the original walnut.

Finally, I need the Victrola parts: gold plated tone arm and turntable, gold plated lid support, 4 spring motor, crank, and motorboard. I will surely have my neighbor make me a motorboard and hope I can get some kind of veneer that looks reasonably close to passing for the same type of exquisite walnut Victor used. The horn I'll likely never find in walnut.

Some of you may wonder the progress of my 330 in mahogany. I've assembled all the parts for it (except badge with serial number and horn) and have it nearly operational. My neighbor is making a motorboard out of poplar with mahogany veneer. That machine I'm not particularly overwhelmed by, but this Walnut 230 really knocked my socks off.

[larryh]

Its really a beauty, hope you can find the parts you need. I think you have lots of time to watch for them though. They will probably come along. I would be surprised if the horn were walnut too?

Larry