The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

There's a Credenza X on ebay ... wait, why is there a crank? Oops - somebody stuck a Pathé spring motor in there !

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Victor-Talking- ... 1373068561

Arrrrgh ! Too bad they couldn't have just bodged a proper Victor four-spring in there.

Wonder if it's a European motor or one of those Heinmann "Flyer" motors...

What a pity!

if the Pathé motor is indeed a Heineman (and with that crank it would probably be a Model 66) then the motor is not a bad thing, save that it didn't come from Camden.

It appears that quite a number of dealers made more or less professional substitutions of spring motors for the Victor electrics in the 'Thirties, as these machins were salable in country districts before rural electrification. I've owned a number of machines which were so modified, though all of mine appear to have been changed over by Victor dealers, even having the proper oiling diagram glued to the motor board. In fact, I've just scrapped out a VE 7-3X ( horrible refinish, damaged cabinet) which had been so modified on 6/8/31. The Radiola 20 was even modified and fitted with the then-new "Air-Cell" tubes, to allow the set to operate a year on one change of battery. Quite a thorough upgrade. For all of this work the dealer, a music store in a rural Ohio county seat, was able to charge a whopping $75.00 for the set.

Uncle Vanya,

My great-grandmother's Orthophonic has a similar story...

It left Camden as a VE 8-12 X in 1927, but by the time she bought it in rural, pre-REA Virginia, it had been re-fitted with a Victor four-spring motor (two-screw crank escutcheon). I believe she bought it new.

I don't have any invoices for it, but I assume the work was done by a dealer, as the workmanship is first-rate. It still wears the back-panel with round, metal vent grilles...