Original owners and first location of machines.

[estott]

Sorry, I don't know where I got "Peters" from. I do recall that there's a huge importer's plaque on the organ and the Welte name is not visible. Hearing it is a bit frustrating- when I've visited they had a roll with a repeating arrangement of "In The Good Old Summertime" on it, and they just played the same bit for each tour.

[Skihawx]

Ever get the chance to document the original owner and residence of a particular machine?
Sometimes we are lucky to get this information. Do you ever look at an old house and wonder
what kind of phonograph they might have had?? Here is a the front of a beautiful residence?
Care to guess what machine was delivered to this residence?

is this just seeking speculation or do you actually know what was delivered there? where is that house, by the way?

Here are some pictures the Victrola from the Johnston mansion. Sorry I am not very good at using this new camera. And lighting hasn't always cooperated. I've tried taking pictures at various times of the day. From what I could find on line the mansion was completed in 1923. The Victrola is SN 501 and would have been produced in 1920. The question that may never be answered, did the machine sit in a showroom for three years?? Or was it at Johnston's previous home??

[Valecnik]

Wow, fantastic!

To me it seems unlikely that with SN 501, (they started at 500) it would have sat for three years unsold but as you say, it may never be known.

Why the two reproducers? Also wondering if you have the original hammered finish key?

This may be the only one with the whole set of books and in such good condition.

Thanks much for posting.

[Skihawx]

The nickel reproducer is there because the hammered one is not rebuilt yet.
And the key is a standard Victor key that looks like the oval section has
been hammered. It is the only one I've seen with all the books intact.

BTW serial numbers started at 501.

[Valecnik]

The nickel reproducer is there because the hammered one is not rebuilt yet.
And the key is a standard Victor key that looks like the oval section has
been hammered. It is the only one I've seen with all the books intact.

BTW serial numbers started at 501.

You are right Skihawx. They did start with 501. It would be great to see pics of the reproducer and the key when possible.

[Jerry B.]

Here are a couple of photos of Period Model Victrolas and the keys that came with each machine. I have a few questions:
*
Is that the correct key for the Gothic?
*
It seems like all the wide model machines say "No.500" followed by a serial number. The Queen Anne machine says "No.0 (and underneath) 503. It's an upright not a wide model. Do the uprights all say "No.0" with a number underneath? I'm assuming the lower number is the serial number. Is that correct?
*
Is that the correct key for the Queen Anne? Does anyone have a good suggestion for repairing the key?
*
Thanks, Jerry Blais

[Henry]

Jerry, if that key is hollow, you could run a length of wire into each half (snug fit) and use a smidgeon of super glue or epoxy at the joint. With care this joint repair should be invisible. That's what I'd do, at any rate. The wire will reinforce the repair; without it, the two halves would never bond properly.

[Silvertone]

*
It seems like all the wide model machines say "No.500" followed by a serial number. The Queen Anne machine says "No.0 (and underneath) 503. It's an upright not a wide model. Do the uprights all say "No.0" with a number underneath? I'm assuming the lower number is the serial number. Is that correct?

*
Thanks, Jerry Blais

There were many styles of the period models. The upright styles of the Period Victrolas were called No. 0, No. 1, No. 2 etc.

The wide styles were called No. 500 or No. 501

The second number is the serial number.

There was an article in The Sound Box several years back that showed all of the period styles.

Also, as i understand it, there would be two serial number 501s for each style - one for spring and one for electric. At least that is what it says in the article.

[OrthoSean]

Wow, gorgous machine and to echo what others have said to find all those albums with it is just amazing! I was pleased when I picked up my Japanese lacquer VV-130 to discover it not only had all the original albums similar to these (yours look black and silver, mine are black and gold), but it also had the original owner's record collection with it. I'll have to do some digging when I can, but I was able to track down where mine came from and I was able to get a picture of the house it came from just weeks before it was demolished to build a parking lot, such a shame, it looked like it could have been saved.

Sean

[Skihawx]

Wow, gorgous machine and to echo what others have said to find all those albums with it is just amazing! I was pleased when I picked up my Japanese lacquer VV-130 to discover it not only had all the original albums similar to these (yours look black and silver, mine are black and gold), but it also had the original owner's record collection with it. I'll have to do some digging when I can, but I was able to track down where mine came from and I was able to get a picture of the house it came from just weeks before it was demolished to build a parking lot, such a shame, it looked like it could have been saved.

Sean

Yes I think they are the same albums sans the gold accents. I remember when you first got that VV-130.
Weren't there two Victrolas in the same house?? I'd love to see a picture of that house too.