Newbie needs information on Victrola Starr phonograph

[FloridaClay]

Question: What do you mean by "XI"? Is that the type of Victrola? Or, is the Victrola a style? (I see Starr Victrola, Victor Victrola, etc.).

"Victrola" is a trade name for phonographs made by the Victor Talking Machine Company, one of the most important makers for many years. (The "big three" were Victor, Edison, and Columbia.) "XI" is a VV-XI, the model number of Victor's largest selling floor model wind-up phonograph, made from 1910 into the early 1920s. (The XI is a great first machine to buy, by the way. Because so many were made there are many of them still out there and you should be able to get one in good condition inexpensively.) As I think somebody else mentioned, though, Victrola over time came to be used as a generic term for phonographs, just like "Kleenex," a company's trade name, came to be used for tissues made by anybody.

As to some of your other questions, phonographs of this era predate the introduction of vinyl records, which would be destroyed if you tried to play one on them. They play 78 RPM records that were made out of a shellac compound.

Antique phonographs cover a lot of territory and many makes and subtypes. If you get the bug, there are many good books out there about the various types of early record playing machines and there are tons of stuff on the internet. Just read some of the old threads on this Forum and follow it for awhile and you will learn a lot, a good place to start. And go to phonograph shows and ask questions. It is a fascinating hobby.

What I did when I started was to read as much on the subject as I could. As a great place to get a good overview, I highly recommend The Talking Machine: An Illustrated Compendium 1877-1929 by Timothy Fabrizio and George Paul. You can get it on Amazon. Not inexpensive, but you can't do better. Absorb it and you will then be in a much better position to make good buying decisions.


Clay

[fiddleandco]

Thank you all so very much for all of the valuable information and patience with this newbie!
We did hear back from the antique store and they are not willing to move on the price for the Starr, which I find interesting (trying to sell as an 'art piece' maybe? ha. ) And after talking and learning, we are waiting for a Victor Victrola. Possibly going to Charlotte in Sept. for a Phonograph Swap Meet (anyone else going??) to see some that are available-as I have found out through a group I have joined on Facebook-.
Yes, I think we have 'the bug'-love it.