The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Both you guys did a fantastic job of restoring. They look great. Tom B

Here are a few of my Rivoli restoration. These photos are before final sanding and hand rubbing with Deluxing Compound..

Bill K

Jerry B. wrote: Regardless, I've always wanted something unusual and this became available at Union a few years ago and I jumped at the opportunity. I've seen a handful of Vernis Martin Victrolas and all had classical art in the framed areas on the major cabinet pieces.
Jerry Blais

Jerry,
The vernis looks great! I remember seeing it in your garage just about two years ago. Did you have someone in the Portland area perform the restoration?

Did you have someone in the Portland area perform the restoration?

Yes, Gold Leaf Restoration did the restoration. They had the Victrola for about four months. They were very pleasant and sent updates and photos of progress. Jerry Blais

All the machines posted so far are fantastic.

I have done lots of "tune-ups" to original finishes. The most recent full-on refinish I did is this modest Edison C-150 I picked up cheap (it came with records, but even they weren't that wonderful). At the time I didn't have an Edison and this was perfect for me. It had been painted white at one time and seemed to have been mostly stripped. I finished the stripping and then it was great practice for refinishing. These before and after pictures are about two years old. I have since replaced the lime-green cloth that I had pinned on the grille with something more mellow I also had Steven Medved rebuild the reproducer and put a new stylus on, so I consider this a high-performance C-150. I'm looking into custom rims and pinstriping.

I always wanted a Fairy Phonograph Lamp and never imagined that I would find one in 2012 that had been dropped and was a complete box of parts. Actually, I never imagined taking on the restoration... so, it has become a personal favorite.

The pics below are the final result...

Click this link to see the actual "BEFORE" pics:
http://open1234.wix.com/camps-site/inde ... phono-lamp

Click this link to see the final "AFTER" pics:
http://open1234.wix.com/camps-site/inde ... hono_after

All of your restorations are well done and show what can be done to bring them back from the dead... Congratulations...

It had been painted white at one time

Stripping a mahogany cabinet is difficult and one with paint, even traces, makes it even more difficult. Congratulations on a fine job. It looks wonderful.

Curt, the Fairy looks stunning. What an effort!

Jerry Blais

Wow. All the above machines are gorgeous, both in original design and in the amazing restorations you all have done. Just wow.

And now for something a LOT less exotic…

I generally agree that, if possible, a gentle cleaning and touch-up can be better than a complete refinish. But sometimes you’re starting with something that already has one foot in the grave, and in these instances I enjoy bringing something back to life with a total rehab, especially if it’s not a rare or valuable piece.

In this case I had the uber-common VV-VI with basically no finish left (except grease and grime in the wood grain) and a record cabinet that had been seriously abused. (The shelves were missing or broken, plus someone had glued faux leather to the top and possibly used it as a plant stand. Outside.) Also, I was giving these away to civilians, and I’ve learned non-enthusiasts aren’t as interested in patina as in having something that has that “cool-yet-old-yet-new” vibe. So yeah, a full resto was in order. (Although I almost hate to post this after the museum-quality machines above.)

WOW. Excellent job.