The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Here's a nicely decorated XVII on Etsy. Vernis-Martin? I don't know about that, but it does look like an early makeover, which seems to be pretty well done. No affiliation with the seller.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/124504691/e ... fgodQBEAwQ

I don't have near that money, but I'd want to see a better picture of the paintings before committing - this one looks almost like paint-by-numbers work. If it really is period work I'd worry that there's been a poor restoration.

I agree that the quality of the painting isn't quite first-class. Looks a bit more like the brusque kind of work you'd see in a painted stage backdrop of the period. The biggest point of suspicion for me is the extremely crisp line around the decorations on the doors. That would usually seem to indicate either something like decals or a non-adept repainting of the body color, I'd think. Still, interesting, and rather pretty.

estott wrote: this one looks almost like paint-by-numbers work.

I thought the exact same thing. Also, the Victrola logo inside the lid being painted over would not be normal either.

When I saw the photo I immediately thought that the machine must have come from New York. These aftermarket decorated machines were varety popular in certain ethnic neighborhoods, most notably Yorkville and Astoria. A number of decorating studios would do this sort of work. I really think that it is period, though of course it does not appear to be of the best quality.