The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I my opinion without a doubt American Walnut

Circassian. Circassian. Circassian.

The inside of the lid has the original finish, here is a picture of the inside of the lid on an original finish circassian

Well, I'll throw my opinion in too. Why not?

I think the sides look the most circassian-like. Yes, there are also some black streaks on the shelf. But why does the front and under the lid appear to be standard burl walnut?

Why does the lowest point of the bevel seem to be flush with the case? I can't tell if that's for sure, but if it was beveled afterward, wouldn't the doors seem a bit set-back? That being said, I still think they were probably beveled afterward, the kind of thing somebody would have done in the 1980s.

I have no idea what I'm looking at. All I know is that my grandparents' bathroom sink cabinet had those exact knobs.

Sorry I'm not more helpful.

EDIT: I enlarged the photos and I think the doors DO look set back from beveling. Or it could be an illusion. But this doesn't help answer the original question posed so it doesn't matter.

JerryVan wrote:Hold on. The original poster never said the doors have been beveled, (at least in anything I've read). I don't believe they have been. I believe that the edges have a banding of veneer around them. The base wood would never look that good, nor would the grain run in those directions, nor would the corners be mitered. Whether somebody did this as a repair to chipped veneer or if it's original to the cabinet seems to be the question/issue.

Jerry you are correct. After blowing up the pictures you can see the doors are not beveled but have a band of veneer around them, good eye.

Larry Crandell

JerryVan wrote:Hold on. The original poster never said the doors have been beveled, (at least in anything I've read). I don't believe they have been. I believe that the edges have a banding of veneer around them. The base wood would never look that good, nor would the grain run in those directions, nor would the corners be mitered. Whether somebody did this as a repair to chipped veneer or if it's original to the cabinet seems to be the question/issue.

You're right.

I was da victim of an obstacle delusion. Umbriaggo !

I'm sorry, I disagree. The doors are clearly beveled and the veneer is American Walnut.

Compare these images with the subject Victrola. There is no doubt that it is American Walnut and not Russian Circassian Walnut. And who amongst us is voting against America?

Victor used their best veneers in the areas where it would show. The pull-out shelf, record album shelf, motor board and similar surfaces were not so important. Victor used lesser woods in these areas. I believe that the pull-out record shelf was made from gum wood. Gum wood could have a prominent grain and be finished to look very much like Circassian Walnut (see The Sound Box article on Circassian Walnut).

Would be nice to get some further input from the original poster I think...

What does the outside surface of the lid look like? The lid does look a lot like American burl walnut, but the rest of cabinet looks Circassian, though it's hard to tell because the grain figuration and color are not clear in some of the photos. Has the lid been swapped out?

The doors sure appear to be beveled. But how could they be? If you consider that the doors are flush with the rest of the front it would be difficult to recess the doors around the edges.

Jerry Blais

JerryVan wrote:Would be nice to get some further input from the original poster I think...

What does the outside surface of the lid look like? The lid does look a lot like American burl walnut, but the rest of cabinet looks Circassian, though it's hard to tell because the grain figuration and color are not clear in some of the photos. Has the lid been swapped out?

I've been thinking the same thing. The lid looks like American Walnut, but other parts are definitely Circassian.

George P.