Ugh! A nice Victor III, parted out.

[melvind]

I already have an early XIV just like that one or I would have been very interested. They are a wonderful machine.

[AZ*]

Yes it's sad. But when a machine's value as complete is less than the sum of its parts, some greedy sellers will think nothing of just parting it out. After all, they are only in it for the money. And there is obviously a market for parts among collectors. I would not be surprised if some of the bidders on the subject auctions are members of this forum.

Desirable parts can sell quickly. Just look how fast most of the oak L Door parts from a junked machine sold on Yankee Trader today. Some of those prices were real bargains.

[outune]

I don't criticize anyone buying parts-- We all need parts, and if I needed a turntable or other parts to complete a Vic III, I'd be all over it--- Just hard to see a real nice machine that has been intact for 110 years shotgunned all over the country. I hope the parts end up completing several machines.

Brad

[Skihawx]

Montana only has a quarantine for those coming into the state. Don't think there is a stay-at-home in Montana.

[mick_vt]

Yes it's sad. But when a machine's value as complete is less than the sum of its parts, some greedy sellers will think nothing of just parting it out. After all, they are only in it for the money. And there is obviously a market for parts among collectors. I would not be surprised if some of the bidders on the subject auctions are members of this forum.

Desirable parts can sell quickly. Just look how fast most of the oak L Door parts from a junked machine sold on Yankee Trader today. Some of those prices were real bargains.

I'll own up - I got the horn and elbow from the V previously parted out. I wish I could have bought it all and reassembled but the sum of the parts...

[JerryVan]

It's a "catch 22" from a sellers perspective as well. I've never parted out a machine but when nobody wants to pay a fair price it's damned tempting.

I completely agree. I have lowered the price on my gorgeous completely original early Queen Anne model VV-XIV Victrola to $300. And every person who has responded to my FB Marketplace ad wants me to give it away..."Take $150 for it?" Please...not a chance.

It has a beautiful original finish, plays beautifully, has a nice gold plated bullet brake, has its original vertical record (numbered) storage rack, early Victor 3-spring motor, yielding turntable with threaded spindle, Gold "V" key, nice Gold Exhibition reproducer, nice gold Victor female crank and escutcheon, early Victor gold tonearm, all of its original gold knobs, pull out record rest shelf with original knob, gold circular Victor needle tin AND an extra Victor needle tin. And no one wants to pay $300...

It's a stunning original Queen Anne VV-XIV and all I get are low ball offers from people. My wife would like it out of our living room and the parts alone are worth well more than my price. But as George mentioned above...it's very tempting when your wife is leaning on you to sell it and all you receive are low ball offers.

Doug

That's just too nice a phonograph for FB Marketplace. FBM caters to a relatively small geographic area. What are the chances anybody would want any phonograph within a 100 mile radius of any of us? Especially one that is above average in rarity & condition. To 99.9% of FBM lookers, this is just the same as any other Victrola, hence the low ball offers. I suspect that if you actually accepted the $150 offer you'd see it again next week, painted in pastel chalk paint, with wine glasses where the turntable should be, wine bottles shoved in the horn, and speckled with twinkling LED lights. THAT'S what FB Marketplace is for!

Nice things need to be sold in nice venues.

[Curt A]

Montana only has a quarantine for those coming into the state. Don't think there is a stay-at-home in Montana.

They need to make an exception and enforce it for this guy...

[Jerry B.]

Doug, that early VV-XIV is gorgeous. If Doug can get it to Union, I could bring it to the West Coast for a buyer at no additional cost. I'd hate to see it parted out. That's assuming there is a Union. Save the XIV!!!

Jerry Blais

[mick_vt]

Well. the horn from the V arrived - sorry if you already saw this on FB

[Django]

Well. the horn from the V arrived - sorry if you already saw this on FB

I’m glad that wasn’t the whole machine. What a terrible end for that nice original horn. Did the elbow survive?