The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Beauty being in the eye of the beholder, I prefer the late Victrola XVIII or an XX. This machine is very nice, but reminds me a bit of a wood stove. Just another perspective. Still very cool but a little over the top for a simple country boy.

I was at a local auction 35 years ago and one of those was on the sale. I just told another guy about that thing selling. Terry and I didn't know each other then and we both remember the machine because of the wood tone arms and crazy carving. I didn't even bid, he went up to $35 on it and it sold for $50! It's probably a wine cabinet now or rotted away in someone's garage or basement. In those days I still lived at home, and not that I wanted that machine because I really didn't. If it wasn't an Edison or a Victor it was a tough sale on me. Unless a bunch of records came with it.

It does kind of look like one of those enameled coal stoves now that you mention it!

EarlH wrote: It does kind of look like one of those enameled coal stoves now that you mention it!

Indeed it does, it is only missing the pipe. And on a related subject, the wooden arm certainly looks very, hmmm, odd, like a South Seas aboriginal fertility icon.

I personally like these machines.They are way above my paygrade. These machines are indeed very curvy. Back in the day, the slang term for them was a Mae West.
Harvey Kravitz

I am with Harvey on this one. I would gladly take this machine over the Victor VI, or even the Edison Opera.

It's not that I don't like it, I just like more understated machines. I'm not a fan of Bombe style. I do admire the design and execution, but for the money, I would rather have a high level Victrola. It's just my personal taste. A wise young woman once said "if everyone loved roses, what would a daisy do?".

I corrected my incorrect spelling of Bombe. Please, carry on.

FWIW, I guess it's human nature to poke fun at what you don't or can't possess. I remember when I first started collecting, I was thrilled to buy machines that today after collecting for over 25 years I wouldn't have the slightest interest in owning. Of course everyone is entitled to there opinion , But I would never run down another collectors interest in what I might consider a common machine, because I remember the thrill of buying my first machine, a plain Jane VV-10, that I displayed proudly in my living room for several years. I've noticed a reverse discrimination so to speak on the forum for high end machines , folks that may think they could never afford, so they feel they need to belittle the machine. The Supreme was $1000 in 1917 that would be approx. $20000 in todays money, pretty pricey pot belly stove.

tictalk wrote:FWIW, I guess it's human nature to poke fun at what you don't or can't possess. I remember when I first started collecting, I was thrilled to buy machines that today after collecting for over 25 years I wouldn't have the slightest interest in owning. Of course everyone is entitled to there opinion , But I would never run down another collectors interest in what I might consider a common machine, because I remember the thrill of buying my first machine, a plain Jane VV-10, that I displayed proudly in my living room for several years. I've noticed a reverse discrimination so to speak on the forum for high end machines , folks that may think they could never afford, so they feel they need to belittle the machine. The Supreme was $1000 in 1917 that would be approx. $20000 in todays money, pretty pricey pot belly stove.

I still have my vv-ix displayed as it was one of my first machines.. I have basically stayed with Edison standards and homes as my specialty because they are beautiful and well built machines. I also started with the cheaper portables and worked my way up. Beauty as said earlier is in the eye of the beholder but I love seeing those curvy or individual machines like the opera house one. The time and workmanship that goes into them is astounding . You will not see that any more built even from the artists. I just enjoy them and I like to see other collectors collections. Everyone is proud of what they have. Tom B

tictalk wrote:FWIW, I guess it's human nature to poke fun at what you don't or can't possess. I remember when I first started collecting, I was thrilled to buy machines that today after collecting for over 25 years I wouldn't have the slightest interest in owning. Of course everyone is entitled to there opinion , But I would never run down another collectors interest in what I might consider a common machine, because I remember the thrill of buying my first machine, a plain Jane VV-10, that I displayed proudly in my living room for several years. I've noticed a reverse discrimination so to speak on the forum for high end machines , folks that may think they could never afford, so they feel they need to belittle the machine. The Supreme was $1000 in 1917 that would be approx. $20000 in todays money, pretty pricey pot belly stove.

I made the first, non-gushing comment about this machine, so I take responsibility for any negativity. I'm sorry, but the grill and shape do remind me of a stove, (although, a very nice stove). I don't think that I insulted the machine or those who own one, but if I did, I apologize. There had been a lot of gushing over this machine and I personally do not love it, but that is not to say that I don't admire it and that was my point. I do not care for the Bombay style of furniture. I do not like the new Bentleys or Rolls Royces, but I admire the quality. It's is simply a matter of taste.

It is also odd to presume that I cannot afford a machine like that. I can, but it is not a priority that I can justify and I view the comments regarding the comments that I made to be a bit personal, but that's OK too. It's someone's opinion and they are entitled to that as well.

Of course, everyone is entitled to their own taste and their own opinion. No wrong or right here. I am fortunate enough to own a Sonora Invincible which is the model one step down from the Supreme as well as some higher end Victrola's (including Victor XVIII and a Circassian Victor 130). When viewed side by side, I find that the scale of these higher end Sonora's (including larger size, bombe contours, and bigger sized fittings) give it a presence that even the more fancy Victrola's can't equal. From the point of view of craftsmanship, also hard to match the complex curves and carvings on the Supreme and other bombe units. Love my Victor Victrola's, but having one of these bombe Sonora's really adds a lot to a collection.