The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I love the warmth of oak and the beauty of mahogany.

I notice most Oak machines seem to be in demand than Mahogany. It also seems that Mahogany pops up alot.

Was Mahogany the finish of choice back in the teens and 20's?

Also, do you think Oak is the best investment when buying machines?

I have a VV-IX in Mahogany, wish it were oak

I like oak too, but mahogany was more popular back in the day. Buyers back then were trying to match their furniture and oak was considered old-fashioned. In the late 20s walnut seemed to take over. One thing about mahogany though is that, more than oak, time has not been kind to its finish. And mahogany I hear is tougher to restore than oak. I have a Pathé Actuelle model J in mahogany and the exterior looks terrible. But when you look at the finish inside the lid, it is a gorgeous smooth reddish brown mahogany finish. If I can only make the outside look like that it would be stunning.

Personally I love oak. But my two larger machines are both Mahogany. Oak finishes often if they were cared for over the years only require some cleaning and light touch up to look nearly like new. I remember years ago when a friend found an Oak Victor he traded me for something, it was in a basement and nearly black. But after a cleaning with some bar soap and water it looked wonderful and still quite light.

Over time finishes go in and out of favor. When I first started to collect you couldn't give away Oak furniture when I lived, yet across the state Oak had been bringing good prices. I still regret not going to a sale that had a great looking Chippendale Edison in light oak.. That would be one of my highest want list items.

Larry

I like both, but I tend to prefer mahogany. My Victor IV is my favourite machine partly because of the deep red finish.
but a nicely grained quarter sawn oak Victor MS or D is really appealing too.

I was at the Antique Mall in Valparaiso back in 1987 (today it is closed and no longer). I saw a beautiful smaller upright in Oak, it was a light oak. I wanted that machine so bad, but I asked the owner and he said it was not for sale, it was only a display item by one of the dealers.

I would love to find a oak Victrola. Also, I saw a huge Oak Victrola with fancy carvings with gold hardware for $ 400.00 at a Chesterton antique store in 1996, but it sold quickly, at that time I was making $ 5.00 and hr. and 22, out of my league. lol.

Today, I would walk in and be able to put it on layaway for 60 days and get it out. But I have not seen a Oak upright in years.

I want whatever was more unusual. If I'm looking at a mahogany VV-X and an oak X, I'll take oak. If I stumble onto two Edison Standards, I'll take the mahogany one. Jerry

As a collector....I could care less what wood a machine "I like" is made from. However, as pointed out already....if a model was made from more than one species and one was rarer......I would prefer the rarer in my collection.
By the way, you mention mahogany as a "finish". It is not a finish... .

There's an oak Victrola for sale in Niagara Falls, just now.. seems overpriced at $400, though. They don't seem to be appreciated around here, but that might be because of the moribund WNY economy.

http://buffalo.craigslist.org/atq/4519931928.html

I think the original poster is referring to the wood itself... .

Yes, the wood itself. I am not talking about a stain. I realize that many machines were made and covered in veneer.