The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have this model. Seems very rare and extremely difficult to find any information on. The wood is in filth 'barn fresh' condition but I believe I can bring her back without any invasive techniques (I collect antiques and am severely against any refinishing/polishing). HOWEVER (there's always a catch..) the things been gutted of parts. I have ONE needle drawer and all the knobs except the lower center door (which is sadly the only real damaged area (looks like some idiot ripped into it with a screwdriver/pliers to get the doors open) and the two rear doors.

Is there anyone here who knows about this model? From limited info online, I can say this is the 16th one produced and there were less than 50 made.

I can't find any pictures other than one which doesn't show the hardware. I assume the tonearm and everything was gold plate? Can anyone here confirm?

Was the motor pull the same style as the large door pulls (I've never seen this type before- very decorative and two sizes)?

Also, the rear of this machine has two doors opening to a shallow compartment. These do not lock. What is this for? I can take the horn out by removing two screws from the upper part of this area, but that's only the lip... Not sure why the compartment exists.
More importantly, the pulls are gone from these doors. Are they plain, or ornamental as the ones in the front of the machine?

I'm really trying to piece this back together.

Is there anyone here who can help me?

Thanks!

Please post some pictures.

Here are two photos of that model. I have also seen factory photos that show this model with all round knobs like the speaker door knobs, but believe that only the prototype was so configured. I would expect that the two lower doors would each have knobs, rather than only the right door as seen in the photo. The rear doors should have the same knobs as the record album doors, I think. These knobs are unique to the Chippendale machines. You should be able to find a service that can cast you duplicate knobs from one that you already have.

The rear doors are for the resistors, which are omitted on the spring powered models such as yours.

The hardware is "antique gold", which is different from the regular gold finish used on other Victrolas - it has a frosty appearance.

I have this same model Victrola. Those lower doors (below the speaker) never had knobs on mine, just the door lock with a tasteful decorative escutcheon---you'd need the key to insert into the keyhole to open those. As already mentioned, those rear doors accessed resistors for the electric motored models, which mine is. The door knobs are decorated on mine, and not like any others I have seen on other Victor machines before. The rear doors also had decorated knobs, which is curious since they are so seldom viewed (I would think). The motorboard knob is a plain gold-plated knob, not decorated. Mine is in storage at my Dad's place up in rural NY so I can't provide pics of those knobs, but maybe others on here can. By the way----for others that have these wide-body Period Model Victrolas----what albums, if any, do you have with yours? I only got one, and the original record index, with a black-fabric covering in both cases, not that familiar liver-color as seen on the more common Victrolas. A fellow collector pointed out that the record storage either side of the speaker is set up for 2 levels of 12-inch albums, that small lower section under the speaker holds 10-inch albums. "Well of course, anybody that bought such a pretentious machine would only have albums of 12-inch red-seal Victor records". (!)

THANK YOU! All of you.

I'm extremely excited.
Its a bummer that there's a special kind of gold.. I'm afraid I'll never find an accurate tonearm. Was this coating common enough to have reproducers with it?

Another bummer about the fancy knobs on the back (argh! Who removes those things??!). I will look into having clones cast.

As I said of the lower doors, someone (obviously very smart) tore into the lock. So I'll need to do some clever woodwork to repair it. I planned on casting the escutcheons myself in resin and painting them (I'm good at modeling and certain I can closely match the patina). I was just showing someone those doors in fact, saying how odd it is to not have pulls (must have been for the SUPER secure record stash).

Great info on what the heck those rear doors are for! I can't get enough of this sort of thing.

Some differences in mine (I swear I will post pictures soon):
There are two needle 'bays' in either corner. Same as the model pictured in the response, but two of them.
What is that thing to the right (view) in place of where I would have the second needle bay? Is that something to do with it being electric?

I can't wait to post pics. Tomorrow.

Wonderful. Thanks again, guys.

TVfuzz wrote: What is that thing to the right (view) in place of where I would have the second needle bay? Is that something to do with it being electric?

That's an electric light - - meant to aid in placing the needle on the edge of the record while in a dark environment.

George P.

The light was only included in the models with electric turntable motors (for obvious reasons). Victor made about 50 spring motor and 50 electric motor versions of this model. There is some evidence to suggest that the company made 100 cabinets and could change them from spring to electric as required.

Spring motor versions of the period models had a second needle tray where the light is shown in the photo.

If this were mine, I wouldn't hesitate to use standard Victor gold parts. Few would notice, but it bothered you, you could have everything replated.

First pics!
The first here, is when I first saw it. Post-estate sale.
Price tag of $40. It didn't sell, so I got it for free from my friend who bought the place.
See that missing trim piece on the lower door? I have that (it was inside). As far as the wood goes, she's all complete, and no major damage (aside from the lower door). There's some breakage due to the doors suddenly warping, but that situation seems to be working itself out, and I'm confident I can recover the damage done.




And this is today, after removing the doors. Since this pic was taken, I've went through it, cleaned the grease out from the motor compartment and used a terry-cloth and microfiber to preliminarily clean all surfaces inside and out. Stage-1 "wipe down" I call it.
I've seen needles in Victrolas before, but WOW.. So many.... so very many.
Another thing... The machine has been cannibalized so badly, but I found a Sonora no 3 reproducer inside. Some kind of machine-sacrifice to the Victrola-Gods in lieu of a bountiful harvest maybe??




I'll continue posting pics of my progress. The doors are warped, which really brought my spirits down, but since bringing one inside from last night, I've measured a substantial improvement. So I'm more optimistic that these will flatten back out. Possibly just did that from being in the barn during hot/humid days for the estate sale.
All doors are inside now, in my wood-shop. Any ideas on warped doors is appreciated. From my experience, they sometimes go back to normal under a controlled environment. They don't close well, and I confirmed they did close before the sale. So I think this was an acute change, which gives me hope.

Fingers crossed.

That is an incredible find, condition issues notwithstanding. I envy you! And I admire your goal to keep it as original as possible rather that stripping and refinishing. You'll end up with a much more desirable rarity. Big thumbs up.

I have more questions for you guys.

There are two screw holes on the bottom of the unit. Were these for securing it during shipping?

Also, the motor compartment has two metal brackets located in back, mounted in the upper area. They have, I think, threaded holes which face towards the front.

Any idea what either of those are for?

[edit]
Wait a minute.... I bet those are all for electric gear, am I right??