The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello,
Thank you in advance for your time. My boss has a talking machine that I believe is a Victrola, however I cannot be sure. I have spent many hours searching the web and also called Wyatt's Musical Americana for advice. I am wondering if any of you might help me identify a consolette? It may be an early 1920's orthoponic, or an early 1910 victrola that was put into a designer cabinet. Looks similar in size/shape to a vv-215? If I am able to attach photos I will, but here are the specs as far as I can tell:
No Victrola metal plate, but metal plate reads" Consolette distributed by Manufacturers Phonograph company 95 Madison Ave, New York City, Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. Appl. For
Label on inside lid says "Knabe Warerooms, Armstrong Piano Co. 587 Broad St., Newark N.J."
Flat top console
Internal Horn
Victor Talking Machine Exhibition Soundbox (nickel?)
Tab Brake
Simple Knob
Sliding Lid Support
Round Shank
Mahogany
2 doors only
Right top lid opening only
36.5" Wide
34" Tall
22.5" deep
5 horizontal shelves in left hand side
Screen and wood overlay in right hand side
2 faux top drawers included in wood faces of the 2 front doors
Victor Motor part # 5434 on label of motor with instructions to use Victor oil
wood or brass ornamentation on cabinet doors
serial number stamped on wood inside #11817

My boss brought it from New Hampshire and wants me to try and sell it. I couldn't put it up Willy-Nilly without reasearching a bit. I must admit, I'm growing a bit attached...

Any help with identification is greatly appreciated!
Sincerely,
Tammy

It's a little hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks like it is a cabinet designed to have a tabletop Victrola (in this case a VV-VI) dropped into it. There certainly are Victrola parts (tone arm, motor boards, reproducer), but the outside cabinet certainly is not from the Victor company.

I'm willing to bet there is a way to open the outer cabinet up, and pull out a complete (well perhaps minus the front speaker doors), VV-VI.

that looks like a victor victrola model VV-VI, a decent but basic tabletop model, that's set inside a larger cabinet (from the same period) of the type made and marketed by secondary furniture companies to enclose such smaller machines and give them the appearance of more expensive floor models - as well as some space for record storage.

Thank you both very,very much! Yes, the only image that I found that was similar was in the attached ad (upper left-hand corner), but the unit is advertised as having 6 shelves rather than 5.