Random Thoughts on Over-Restoration

[De Soto Frank]

One other issue I have is how these ( and other merchandise ) is photographed for the inter-web...

"Flash-on-camera" pictures have to be the least-flattering way to shoot ANYTHING.

It really skews the color balance, and tends to blow-out highlights ...

I realize that not everybody is a professional photographer nor has professional lighting equipment, but I have managed to take some decent existing-light pictures with my own "antique" digital point & shoot ( 3 MP Canon Powershot G-1 )...

"If wishes were horses, fools would ride"...

[epigramophone]

The best results I have obtained when photographing machines have been outside in good daylight, but not direct sunlight, against a plain background such as a white sheet. Impractical for large cabinet models I know, but good for most other machines.

There is a regular seller on UK eBay who routinely over-restores machines. He strips the black painted case fittings of portables to bare metal and polishes them up like the jewels they never were, but he always seems to achieve good prices, so his buyers must be suitably impressed.

[Phono48]

There is a regular seller on UK eBay who routinely over-restores machines. He strips the black painted case fittings of portables to bare metal and polishes them up like the jewels they never were, but he always seems to achieve good prices, so his buyers must be suitably impressed.

Glad it's not only me who shudders when I see an HMV 102 with brilliantly polished brass corners and hinges! I'd rather see them sprayed satin black, or even better, dipped in gun barrel-blue. Trouble is the impressed (ignorant?) buyers probably don't know what the originals looked like, all they see is gleaming metal and shiny new black vinyl, and part with their cash willingly, not realising that they could buy a completely original 102 1n good condition for far less.

[JerryVan]

Bob,

Couldn't agree more! I am also somewhat disappointed when I see a collector buy a nice machine, in decent original condition, and then go about "cleaning" and polishing and touching it up until all it's original character is gone. Why must we put our "mark" on something versus appreciating the fact that nobody else has messed with a machine for over 100 years.

[brianu]

the auction of the VV-XII that originally started this discussion has already been bid to more than $1400, and there are still almost two hours left. there were a couple of these in completely original, but clean, condition (with minimal correctible flaws, like a missing foot or some wear to the finish, etc.) for sale at wayne a year or so ago for, as I remember, 300 or less each. and I also have seen very nice examples sell for 800 to 900 over the past several years. so even at 1400, even with all the "restoration" factored in (if that's what a buyer would really want), this is still a very high price, right? my bet is it will end up in china or japan.

[brianu]

final price, $1626.

[briankeith]

Yep - too new looking for my taste. But that's just my taste. Someone here bought this machine I assume? Nice model though, even if it is refinished.

[FloridaClay]

Generally speaking I also like good original condition best, but I try not to throw rocks at folks with fully restored machines when I don't know what the condition was before it was restored. Far better IMHO to have a fully restored machine that can be enjoyed for another century than an ugly moldering mess ones heirs are likely to put out by the curb. Also remember that what attracted buyers to many machines when they were new was highly polished finishes.

Clay

[kirtley2012]

my opinion is that resoration should make something old the condition it was when it was new, that is ok to me, when people turn a machine into something that it never was, thats where it turns bad.
if a machine is restored back to its "new" condition and it is done well, i dont really have a problem, if someone does a restoration badly or does too much, then i consider it ruined!
thats just my opinion though!

[need4art]

This is a very touchy subject-going to art restoration seminars for years really leaves this question unanswered when it comes to art and antique frames.for cars its a completly different matter. As a master level judge for 56-57, 60-62, and 63-64 for the National Corvette Restorers Society every singel part is cked to see if it has the right number, is orginal, and then codition is graded. If you wnat to have a correct body and paint on a 56-57 than it will have body waves, orange peel and some dull spots and it MUST be laquer. Well ya can't get that anymore so you have to "work" the paint to get the right look. As a judge thats what I look for. When it came to MY 57 I was not going to put $15,000 in to paint and body work and have waves. The body and paint are as streight as a ½" metal plate and I took the point deduct.

I have looked at cars and phonographs that are orginal and clean-but missing paint and scratchs, and missing veneer and shot plating do not make it for me. when it comes to cleaning a painting I explain what I am going to do to it and photograph it along the way. In 45 years I've not had a complaint. I am working on a frame from the 16th century right now and the customer has had me do all the right things up to now and because of cost-will not have me releaf it as it was but to PAINT it gold-it looks well....I'm not happy.

All the machines in my home look very good, I have hand polished all the nickel/gold, filled and toched up nicks and scrathes, replaced turntable felt as needed and put a freshing cost of laquer or schellac on and waxed and polished as needed and am OK with that. I am looking at a Victor VIII that I got thre years ago that looks like a new machine and thats how I got it from the son of the orginal owner. It has killed me because now I look at every machine and that is my standard.

The bottom line is do or get done what makes you happy. Most of these machines are not worth worrying about because they simply do not cost that much-and no not one of my machines has a moth hole eaten turntable felt on it cause it is orginal.
Abe