The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

De Soto Frank wrote:Very nice machine... I think I may need to expand my horizons a bit...


Somewhere in my early adolescence, I was lead to believe that Silvertone talking machines were lowly junk ( not even warranting "-que".)

Perhaps I was the victim of false information...

They are variable- the cheaper ones can be rather dull, especially when they're in poor condition. The oak veneer can often wake up an otherwise bland cabinet. They can play nicely though the tone arms aren't up to Victor standards. The later "Truphonic" Silvertones tried to compete with the Orthophonic line & they aren't quite as nice.

Then as now, some people were more concerned with styling than quality or functionality. Human nature doesn't change.

Also, that late 20's blended finish where a lot depends on colored lacquers - it doesn't age very well. I have an early 30's RCA Victor Electrola (client badged for General Electric) - it must have been very expensive but the cabinet is boxy and has cast composition ornaments. Take away the walnut grain and it's pretty ugly.

I've given the case some cleaning and a coat of Howard's restor a finish. The results aren't bad, it could use a little more and then a polish. I still have to sent the motor out for repair & rebuild the soundbox.

It turns out that this is a Pooley cabinet. It's interesting to see where Sears cut a few corners. The lid is made of thick pieces of solid walnut, but each of the four sides has a flaw in the grain - not visible on the interior though. The lid is remarkably heavy and I think this was done on purpose to give a sense of solidity when you lift it.

gramophone78 wrote:

Jerry B. wrote:Back in the late sixties the Big Three were selling Mustangs, Camaros, GTOs, and Super Bees by the trainloads. There were other muscle cars like the AMC Marlin and the Studebaker Avante. When is the last time you saw a Marlin? Enjoy your Silvertone. Jerry

Actually Jerry, AMC real muscle car was the AMX. A very rare car to find now unmolested.

AMC/Rambler had another "bone shaker" back in '69 called the Rambler SC/Scrambler. A pal in HS had one.
I think rarer than the AMX.

We have been moving some machines in my collection around here recently and so I thought I would dust off one of the Silvertone floor models here in the pics that I have not listened to in a looooong time. Still sounds nice. The finish is American Walnut but mine appears to be much darker than EStott's Silvertone and is likely an upper mid-range model as it has gold plated parts, fancy molding on the doors and the violet turntable felt. I have temporarily misplaced the reproducer so it is missing from the pics! I have been enjoying the thread here on EStott's super nice Silvertone as most models are (sometimes unfairly) judged as mediocre relative to Edison and the mighty Victor. My sincere apologies if any of the pictures come out sideways. I don't know how to correct that.

Doug

Yours is very very nice - I think it would have been a bit more expensive than mine, and probably near the top of the line.

I think mine would be like the Sears version of a VV XIV, yours is like a VV XVI

There's no question that Silvertone offered some very nice looking machines! Thanks for sharing these.

George P.

estott wrote:Yours is very very nice - I think it would have been a bit more expensive than mine, and probably near the top of the line.I think mine would be like the Sears version of a VV XIV, yours is like a VV XVI

Thanks for your gracious comments. I wish I knew how to confirm that pics I upload would be formatted correctly (portrait or landscape) before I post them. Sideway images are a bit disappointing.

phonogfp wrote:There's no question that Silvertone offered some very nice looking machines! Thanks for sharing these.

George P.

This has been a very enjoyable thread! It's fun to shed some new light and pics on the old Silvertone. Now if I could just find a vertical reproducer attachment to play my Rube Goldberg recording on Pathé!

Doug

If you can't locate your Silvertone reproducer I've found that a Victrola No. 2 fits nicely on mine - I think the coincidence is on purpose. An Exhibition fits too but seems to be just a bit undersized. My motor spring is broken but I spun the turntable by hand a bit and the Victor played fine on it.