The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Beautiful Machine. From the Victor Victrola Page. 1909 7873-17000 VTLA designation dropped and "A" suffix added around S/N 12500.
Pretty exciting to find an unknown S/N. Congratulations all around.

CharliePhono wrote:A very nice VTLA, Cliff! Could someone enlighten me as to why they manufactured some of these machines with access to the back of the cabinet via the hinged door? Was it done pro forma at the time as access for the machines having electric motors? Please & thank you!

~ Charlie

The routine maintenance of the Victrola motors was intended to be done by the owner of the machine. I suspect the back access panels were designed to facilitate this routine maintenance by allowing the user access to the motor without having to disassemble the cabinet. The back access panels disappeared when the easy lift out motor boards were introduced.

Sounds good to me...

audiophile102 wrote:Beautiful Machine. From the Victor Victrola Page. 1909 7873-17000 VTLA designation dropped and "A" suffix added around S/N 12500.
Pretty exciting to find an unknown S/N. Congratulations all around.

According to Robert Baumbach's VICTOR DATA BOOK, the A suffix was used from serial number 11694 to 13695. It also state's the "Dataplate designation changes from "VTLA" to "XVI" between serial numbers 12301 and 12698".

So it looks like there were at least 905 made with both the VTLA designation and the 'A' suffix on the dataplate, and possibly as many as 1005 made.

What is the highest known serial number with the VTLA designation?

Cliff

IMPRESSIVE A really nice find of a really nice machine and another nice thing----or should I say person is Jerry B. he comes through so many times and for so many people AND that is what makes a hobby GREAT.