The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Came across what I thought at first was a run of the mill lidded Victor table top at a Thrift Shop in Fort Worth. Upon a closer look it was actually a table top Victor X and to top it off it has an oak case though curiously the motor board and motor deck inside is mahogany. It was in pieces and the key hole cover and the right door was missing but it still had the Exhibition Reproducer, Bullet Brake, Outside style Victor Tone Arm on it. For $75 I thought what the heck since many of us buy just a reproducer for $75-100. Believe these are relatively rare though not so high on the desirability scale. Here are some picture before and after some elbow grease:

Very interesting machine. I no longer have my table VV-X and wondered if you could post a photo without the motor board removed showing how the motor sits inside the horn. Jerry

Jerry, the motor sits down inside the horn which of course is the non-floating type. Pretty weak arrangement in my opinion by Victor and quickly addressed in later machines. Motor looks the same as the one used by the Victor III but has different bracket and winding set up so that the handle is up front.

Most excellent, even without one door! I assume the cute kitty was extra

Excellent find at a great price. Locating a door (or matching set of doors) might be somewhat problematic, but I think you'll find it worthwhile for such a cool little machine. Congratulations!

- Martin

That's a cool machine worth restoring. Those early table top VVX, and XI are scarce. Quite a few of them were robbed of their parts for outside horned machines. These machines have an important part in Victor's history and should be restored. The finish is unusual. It looks like fumed oak or weathered oak. If it were mine, I'd have a door made for it, and restore it.
Harvey Kravitz

I dont know much about identifying wood but that does not look like mahogany on the motorboard or surround? could you post better pics. Looks more like walnut.

Thanks for the photos. It's not very often that you catch Victor placing cost over quality. There must have been a large quantity of nearly obsolete motors to use up so the hole was cut into the horn to accommodate the tall motor. Your machine in oak is quite unusual. Are you missing the hinge as well as the door? I believe I have a hinge in my parts bin. It's yours if you need it.
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I was roaming around craigslist and saw the second style Victrola X. Collectors call it a "spider leg X" because it sits on long skinny legs. The seller is asking $300 but I believe he's a motivated seller because it's been for sale for over a year and it needs a complete restoration. If interested, I would suggest a much lower offer. It's in Kansas City and I am driving through there on my way to Union.

Jerry Blais

Victor did the motor "inside the horn" on the Victrola VV-IV as well. That's also why they used the narrow slats on the horn opening, to conceal the view of the motor.

Well, here are two shots of the motor board and deck in the sunlight. So any one good with their wood grains might be able to clarify for us if it is mahogany or walnut?