Any photographs of Victor's facility out there?

[Sansenoi]

I'm not sure what area of the forum to post this question so I'll post it here.

I was wondering if anyone has or knows the website address of any photos of Victor's manufacturing facility.

I would like to see the place my victrola was made and I'm also interested on how large of a facility was needed to make so many vics per year. It must have been huge and staffed by many people in the early 1900's way of making things. Wonder if they took any lessons from the Ford factory line?

Wonder how much of their work they contracted out to other companies?

[FloridaClay]

Here is a penny postcard of the factory from back in the day. (Someone has scribbled in "RCA," something that would not have applied when the photo was made.) I understand that part of the factory has been turned into condominiums.

If you are interested in the Victor story, perhaps the best thing out there is Robert W. Baumbach's excellent "Look for the Dog: An Illustrated Guide to Victor Talking Machines." It is availabe from a number of sources, including Amazon.com.

Clay

[Henry]

Go east on the Vine Street Expressway (a misnomer) to the Ben Franklin (Delaware River) bridge out of Philadelphia, and when you get to the Camden NJ end aim your camera to the east-southeast and you will get a view of the plant buildings site, including the remaining tower with the Victor Dog in stained glass (reproductions, originals removed to various locations: Smithsonian, Widener College). Don't venture into Camden if you value your value!

BTW, the postcard view above is looking to the west-southwest back toward Philadelphia (in the distance, across the Delaware River) from the Camden side, IOW the back of the plant complex, which is why you don't see the tower with the stained glass windows; it's closer to the river.

[Sansenoi]

from what I've read so far, they had several facilities in the USA, one in Japan and one in Canada if I recall correctly.

I shall have to get the book.

Perhaps there is a way of finding out what facility my model victrola was made in 1921.

I would like to see the people who probably built it and wonder if the vic in the photo is the one in my living room. ( this is the part in my post where the little man with the viloin comes out and plays a tune of lament for happier days gone by ).

[FloridaClay]

I would think that the odds are extremely high that your 1921 Victor was made in Camden at the plant complex depicted on the card.

Clay

[Wolfe]

Lots of 'em on Google Images...

http://www.google.com/search?btnG=Searc ... t%20camden

It was a large facility, 20 acres or something?

You had your cabinet plant, motor factory, etc, all cranking them out assembly style. Not at all unlike Ford's pioneering auto plant.

They also had recording studios and record processing facilities there. Thousands of Victor records were recorded in Camden.

[David Spanovich]

...and not only can you see where your Victrola was manufactured, you can LIVE there....




http://www.thevictorlofts.com/

http://www.thevictorlofts.com/building-overview/

[Sansenoi]

I wonder if anyone in the apartments owns a victor? That would be interesting. Perhaps they look down on the tennants that own players of other origins than Victor.

[Wolfe]

I wonder if anyone in the apartments owns a victor? That would be interesting. Perhaps they look down on the tennants that own players of other origins than Victor.

Probably there is a lease clause against the playing of Auxetophones, at least after a certain hour.
Which isn't to say everybody doesn't love Sousa's band anyway, but, you know.

[gramophoneshane]

Doesn't (or didn't) Brian live there? I think he might have a Victor amoung the Pathés & Edisons