The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Any Brits interested?

http://london.craigslist.co.uk/clt/1011275135.html

Richard, Steve,

One of you needs to pry open your wallet!

I had one of these someyears ago, one of two I've seen before this one. Even had the orignal key. A beautiful machine but you've gotta have alot of space for it obviously.

Moo seems to think it's a fake listing, using pictures from a NY listing.

It is an unlikely thing to turn up in the UK. I think Baumbach says there were only a few made, (25-50max). I guess anyone serious about it would certainly need to drive over and have a look before handing over any hard earned pounds.

I would be tempted if it didn't look like a scam. It looks like a great machine As there were so few made it does seem unlikely that one should turn up in the UK....with a photo identical to a NY listing in Craiglist. A coisidence...ummm I think not.

Having said that unlikely as it may seem a 9-55 turned up in the UK. Just think how few of them were made and how heavy they are. Its definately genuine as its currently sat in my gagare being worked on! I really must get around to doing a feature on this board on it.

RJ

Richard, if you are seriously interested, ask them for some pictures. Also ask for the serial number. If it's between 500-550 that's a good indication it's real. They started at 500 and only made 30 or 40. The asking price is half to ⅔ of what it's really worth, at least in the US and it would look much more attractive in your livingroom than one of those Experts. (just kidding)

Blah, that stinks if its a fake! ...but yes, asking for a picture showing the turntable is completely reasonable.

There's a collector who lives in London (and who is a member of the UK forum) who will probably investigate it but I do know it's been for sale for at least a year and probably nearer two now. That says a lot.

Personally, I wouldn't want it even if it was genuine because it's just a very big (wide) cabinet with the same machanism and acoustic properties of any of the early table grand HMV's. It is really a Table Grand wedged into a long sideboard style record cupboard. Not for me really at any price.

I want a bit more bang for my bucks or space!

Maybe so, but it has a very attractive cabinet that is very easy on the eye (if not the wallet!). Perhaps I'm just superficial going for looks though LoL

RJ

Steve,

Has this been re-listed a few times, then?

I would think that it would be pretty hard to sell a fake machine on Craigslist, unless it were being shipped, because obviously you’d see what it looked like (and that it was not as pictured) when you met the seller to purchase it...

But who knows what some clueless buyer might purchase, perhaps sight unseen.

— MordEth

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Super-Rare “Wide-Style” Period Victrola - £1050 (London)

Reply to: sale-1011275135@craigslist.org
Date: 2009-01-28, 6:25PM GMT

If you’re in the market for something like this, you don’t need me to tell you what it is, and you probably know more about it than I do, since this is the only one of these I’ve ever seen in person.Nevertheless, I will share with you what I have learned about this piece after consulting with several well-known experts, the kind of folks who write books about these things.

This is a period Victrola, manufactured in the early 1920s (most likely between 1920 and 1924). The model number is 500, and the style is Gothic. This is what is known as a “wide” period style, for obvious reasons; these machines were built to order for customers who were able and willing to spend £500 - £600 on a machine at a time when even the fanciest mass-produced Victors sold for less than £150. If you wanted something really special, you walked into a Victor showroom, flipped through a catalogue, picked a style, paid in advance, and then waited three to six months for delivery. Sometimes you’d even have to pay a little extra when the machine was finished, since prices in the catalogues were only approximate; labors and material costs could vary during the construction period. It is believed that no more than 50 wide period Victrolas were ever produced in any particular style.

• Location: London
• It’s NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests.

Craigslist PostingID: 1011275135