Victrola Credenza and Federal Recorder

[tablerock]

I recently purchased a Victor Credenza and it has been modified with a Federal Recorder recording system.
They did a pretty good job of it and not being familiar with the machine did not know what I had.
Does anybody have any information on the Federal Recorder?
I attached pictures if anyone is interested.

[Edisone]

Did they leave the horn in there?

This about Federal: "They advertised for a couple years in the Broadcasting Year Book. In several editions (1939, 1941 and 1965) , they are listed as located at 50 West 75th street, New York City, the manager as M.M. Pochapin. Pochapin was a bit of an eccentric. He is described in the August, 1936 issue of Time Magazine as a kazoo salesman. His eponymous corporation manufactured the "Bob Burns Kazooed Bazooka", a foot long kazoo-like noise-maker. It makes a 78 rpm home recording seem a bit pedestrian.
"

[tablerock]

Yes, the horn is still in it, I have not tried to play a record on it but it does turn on and seems operable.

[Phototone]

That appears to be the guts from a portable consumer-grade recorder from the late 1940's. The mechanical "deck" is possibly a generic General Industries brand used by many manufacturers of these recorders. The electronics will probably have to have all the capacitors replaced to work well, and the cutter head, if crystal (not magnetic) will need to be rebuilt. Most of these were crystal.

[estott]

Rather touching - and puzzling - that they went to some effort to keep the data plate and the needle cups.

[tablerock]

So I am assuming in its "Frankenstein" form that it is in, the value would be minimal in the item?

[OrthoSean]

Yes.

Sean

[gramophone78]

So I am assuming in its "Frankenstein" form that it is in, the value would be minimal in the item?

You are welcome to place an ad in our "Yankee Trader" section. Maybe a member will make you an offer. There is no real set worth.

[Bob E.]

Does anybody have any information on the Federal Recorder?

If you can determine the model number of the electronics part (maybe there is a data plate on the "back"
side of the chassis inside the cabinet), you should be able to download the schematics at Nostalgia Air:

http://www.nostalgiaair.org/Resources/145/T0000145.htm

--Bob

[FloridaClay]

If you wanted to restore it, you might well be able to find the missing parts and replacement top boards out of a machine with a wrecked outer cabinet, provided the horn is still in place in yours and things weren't butchered underneath to make the recorder bits fit. But then again you might wind up with something a lot more expensive than just getting a good one in the first place. (Not like that consideration ever stopped me when I felt sorry for some basket case.)

Clay