The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I took pictures of open-cased early and late Victor I's side by side to compare the motors. I also completed the assembly of my late Victor I with the back bracket and horn from an early Victor I. The late Victor I is a larger machine. It becomes apparent that the early bracket and horn are not correct for the late case even though the needle lands in the correct position. They're too small. If one were to have--and I'm not claiming anyone does--if one were to have a late case with an early bracket and horn then that is a marriage that never left the factory that way. No, not a prototype; no, not an indication of poor quality control at the Victor factory; just an example of a May-December romance. Scandalous, isn't it?

Is anyone familiar with this model, a late Victor I case with a squarish motor and 8-inch platter? The serial number has a letter in it--1519A. I know that some VV-VIs have letters in their serial numbers. Those date circa 1916-1918, as I recall. Any idea when my Victor I might date from? It would seem the later one goes, the more likely it would have a ten-inch platter. But that's not what I got. If anyone does have this model, and Victor's sticker is on the bottom, does that sticker have a date? My early Victor I has such a date, either 1902 or 1903 (don't remember which). Any input, greatly appreciated.