The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

My mid-1917 XI has exactly the same brake lever mechanism. It's semi-, not full automatic, as you have to set the trip lever for each record, after which it is self-tripping. That "fat" taper tube w/no. 2 sound box was introduced in latter 1917, so the pictured tube and Exhibition are correct period. It would be very difficult (expensive!) to duplicate the taper tube the way Victor did it, which was a complicated process as I have read, and for that reason unlikely to be attempted by crap-o-phoners.

I really doubt that the cost of the bracket screw and sound box needle screw together would come anywhere close to a complete apparatus---and you would still have to buy the needle screw. Price it out. I would even look into nickel plating, which I know is not cheap, but you may be surprised. (Again I say I'd leave it be were it mine.) HInt: take the tone arm to a brass instrument repair person for advice on plating, if you go that route.

I believe I remember reading somewhere ( " Look for the Dog" ?) an article describing the maunfacturing process for the Victor taper-tube, and it involved special drawing equipment and something like 15,000 lbs of pressure ( maybe 15 tons ?) to form the tube... definitely not something someone does "down cellar" on the odd evening...

Don't have one myself, but per Baumbach the VV-XIV did have gold plated hardware.

Clay

FloridaClay wrote:Don't have one myself, but per Baumbach the VV-XIV did have gold plated hardware.

According to this, the gold plated hardware was used until 1912, then switched to nickel plate.

Clay, I think only the very first VV-XIV with the unique cabinet had gold plated hardware. Jerry

FloridaClay wrote:Don't have one myself, but per Baumbach the VV-XIV did have gold plated hardware.

Clay

They did until 1912. My machine is from 1916. As you can imagine at a distance I saw the gold
hue of the tonearm and my heart started to race a bit. Imagine finding an early gold plated
model XIV for $90. I will have to keep dreaming.

Did a little further reading and, yep, you are right guys. They switched from gold to nickel with the type B, first shipped in July 1912.

Clay