The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

If anyone would score a set of Victor album covers in good shape for a good price, I'd be interested. I'm looking at a set right now, from A-T, I think, but I don't know how much they are really worth.



Oh, and if anyone would find a good gold finish "V" Victrola key with a tassel, I'd be highly interested in buying it from you.

Do they make reproduction tassels, or are they "OEM-only"? I assume they are there solely for decoration, yes?

A complete *matching* set of Victor albums, from letter A to T would be a wonderful find indeed. They may have come out of one of the wide-body Art Case Victrolas, although I think those ran into the double letters (AA, BB, so on).

I have been curious about the tassels on the keys. It seems like something that *could have been* done back in the old days, but in looking at multiple photos of shop and home interiors from the 1890s thru the 1940s, I haven't run across any examples (that I can recall) where this was the custom. I know that nice tassels are still made, some can be surprisingly expensive. Any vintage clothing dealer may run across this stuff, or maybe custom drapery or upholstering shops. I used to run across them as light pulls on old 1920s floor lamps, but those days are about gone now. ( I always thought that the key tassel would get in the way of the speaker doors, or just be a general nuisance---and kept the tassels on my floor lamps.)

FYI.....the tassel is just for fun on the key.It makes it look nice.You can buy them at any fabric or craft store

I haven't seen tassels that nice at any craft store.

EDIT:
But, I do see them on Google. How long is the "proper" length? 4" or so? The ones I see are 6".

I think the tassels I use are 3"-4".However, it is a personal choice.I would check out a good fabric store in your town.You will find many styles and colors.I may have a gold "V" key in a parts drawer.I can't remember with I gave it away already or not.If I still have it I will let you know and send it to you for nothing...just shipping.If I don't have it,I see them selling for about 20-30 dollars.I will let you know.
The tassels do look nice as a finishing touch.They never had them when new.

^ That would be GREAT!


Unfortunately, our little town of Surry doesn't have a crafts store. In fact, we got our first stoplight in November of 2008. That's how small we are.

I can get them online for around $2.50 shipped, and that's not bad, in my eyes.