HMV VV-XVII cabinet in PA - Compared to Victor's?

[Victrola-Monkey]

Here's a craigslist posting by the AOO airport for what looks like a VV-XVII made by HMV. Strange how there are metal vents in the back as if it was a VE but the crank hole indicates VV. Does anyone know if the rarity and value are greater for these than their American counterparts?

-Wayne

http://charlottesville.craigslist.org/a ... 80613.html

[EarlH]

Are you sure it's a Canadian made machine, or it just has a dealers varnish transfer decal on it? Maybe on the later cabinet's they put those vent holes on all of them, or Victor was using stuff up. I worked on an Electrola XVII a long time ago and it was all set up for a spring motor, they just hadn't finished drilling the hole through the side of the case for the crank. But on the inside of the cabinet, the hole was even started so it would have been easy to finish drilling it through. It looks like it's a later one as big as the horn opening is and how brown it is. Oh well, good luck with that project.

[emerson]

I have two XVIII's, both crankers---one is a regular cabinet the other has the rear doors w/vents ---I am guessing that Victor used the vent cabinets for crank-ups to get rid of them.

[Uncle Vanya]

Over in Europe, perhaps more valuable. Over here, perhaps slightly less. Check to see whether there is a blank panel in the middle of the record compartment. A fair number of the "electric" cabinets were converted to "Saxophone Horn" machines in 1926-27. These machines play electric records VERY well inded.

[Victrola-Monkey]

Wow, very interesting, both the use of Universal cabinets for Windup or Electric Motors and the info on these Saxaphone horns I further found here on TMF. Thanks for the info y'all. Not interested in purchasing this myself just sharing the post and was courious.

[Steve]

In Europe or the States, the answer is much, much less valuable.

In general collectors in the UK and Europe do not rate or buy heavy cabinet machines at all, irrespective of the rarity or their pedigree. They are usually passed over in favour of horn models or portables. Even some of the rarest and "theoretically desirable" early G & T / HMV cabinet models rarely generate much excitement these days. A good example is the "Junior Grand" currently on UK eBay. It's been for sale now for weeks at a 'Buy It Now' price most US collectors would have snapped it up for had it been a Victor. The seller is finally putting it to "auction", though whether that will be a free and fair auction or not remains to be seen.