The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

This VV-XVI looks like an outstanding refinished machine. I would be happy with it in my collection. If you buy it thinking someday you'll find a nice original finish XVI then don't buy it. It's one thing to find a nicer Victor II to upgrade over a lesser example. Smaller machines usually have broad appeal and they are much easier to ship. A big machine has a much more narrow market.

Always buy what meets your condition standards. For example: A few years ago I wanted a Circassian "L" Door Victrola. A friend called and offered his for sale for around $2500. He told me it had a broken back leg but the broken piece was there. I considered that and thought I could repair the leg to my satisfaction.He also reported that it had a few worm holes. The holes gave me great concern. When I examined the machine I found worm holes in every component in the cabinet. If I had purchased that Victrola I knew every time I walked by it I would think broken leg worm holes broken leg worm holes over and over in my head. I knew I didn't want to listen to that song so I passed. A short time later I paid a $1000 more and bought a nice Circassian VTLA. It is wise to wait until your condition standards are met.

Jerry Blais

I tend to agree with Jerry...Its nice to find an unrestored machine that meets your condition standards, but sometimes you see "that" machine the one you thought you might never find or be able to buy because of cost and its all there but, well its really worn out. Sometimes careful touch-ups and blending can do the trick, but sometimes you just have to fill bad spots and refinish, if you really want to make it look right than you don't correct all the imperfections, just the bad ones and use the correct material to do the refinishing. Other times you might want the machine to look factory new-and that's OK with me.

Comparing it to what I do-a client may bring in a frame that was originally gold leaf, but it now has a number of sections missing and has been sprayed with gold paint "to make it look better". They want the frame tightened up and want me to touch up the gold paint. I do not do that. If the frame still had the majority of its gold leaf and had a few small missing sections I would cast them and releaf the sections and tone to match. With the other frame a full restoration is what it needs.

While not the deep color that this machine may have come in it looks really good, many hours were put into it and finishes match up nicely-as in Jerry's case I would not have a problem with it in my collection

Just my 26 cents worth!
Abe

Jerry B---- See, I would be just the opposite. Every time I walked past that machine I would think, "broken leg--fixed, machine saved; worm holes filled, machine saved." I would be so intimately familiar with that machine, having saved it from the scrap pile, that I would love it to death.
I have two such machines here, and they are among my favorites just because I know (and "they know") they exist today because I saved them.
John

"broken leg--fixed, machine saved; worm holes filled, machine saved."

John, I very much like your version of the song. I also try to save machines. The Modernola is a good example. They tend to be machines that I resell. I already have an Asian decorated Modernola in my collection so I'll restore the one previously shown in this thread and sell it at a later date. Either way I try to restore to the best of my abilities. The little 9" paper mache Nipper that I restored earlier this summer is a good example of an item that I considered worth saving. I did it as a personal challenge and not for profit. Most of what we do is a labor of love.

Best wishes, Jerry

"See, I would be just the opposite. Every time I walked past that machine I would think, "broken leg--fixed, machine saved; worm holes filled, machine saved." I would be so intimately familiar with that machine, having saved it from the scrap pile, that I would love it to death.
I have two such machines here, and they are among my favorites just because I know (and "they know") they exist today because I saved them.
John"

A bit off topic but a good conversation, (maybe there should be a separate thread), I feel much more for a machine that I have salvaged than one that was I didn't have to get personal with. My wife asked me which was my favorite and without hesitation I said my Canadian Berliner, (the pull start, weight driven thing). This is one of my forever machines.

I removed the photos because we have already gone off-topic.

Back on topic, what happened with the L-door Victrola?

How did this story end?