The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

The reason I ask is because I've accumulated a fair number of 78s. I think to buy a period record cabinet, one not made for sheet music but for 78s. I thought those for sheet music had partitions for the sheet music to lay flat, whereas record cabinets had vertical slots to hold the records on edge. But I've noticed that the storage compartments of floor model phonographs have both orientations. Does it make any difference?

There have been several discussions of this topic. You might try searching for "shelves", "storage", etc. Also one you might not have thought of: "IKEA".

Good suggestion. Thank you. I've tried those words and combinations of words to reduce the number of hits, but no luck so far with regards to my specific question. Still, I will continue to look as we should use the Search option to find previous discussions on a given topic. As for IKEA, not really looking for a new item but a pre-1940s cabinet. And of course IKEA is a store and does not answer the question whether there is a preferred record orientation for storage. Maybe there isn't. Stored vertically, the records takes up less space. That's good. I suppose as long as one doesn't stack the records too high, then it doesn't really matter if I store them on top of each other as well. Well, I guess that's the answer to my question. Thanks. You got me to think about it a bit more.

Vertical storage is preferred because it keeps excess weight off the records.

Here are 2 threads you may find to be of interest:
http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... it=shelves

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... horizontal

"Ideal" storage for disc records, has traditionally been vertical, with no side-pressure ( ie: frequent use of dividers ).


The problem with sheet-music cabinets is the shelves are usually quite a bit wider than even a 12" disc, and the thin shelves will flex under the weight of a stack of records. Also, some of these sheet- music cabinets "Secure" the shelves to carcass with thin sheet-metal clips / brackets and short wire-nails... I've seen these pull-out and dump a shelf...

Be careful of modern shelving units made out of particle-board - these can sag and bow, even collapse under the weight of a collection.


My oak VV-XI came a quantity of loose 10" records stacked on the horizontal shelves, and judging from the black "attic dust" over everything, they had been stored un touched for a very long time. (Machine had a broken motor spring, so I think I got mothballed before WW II ?). At any rate, all of the records that came out of this machine are either "dished", or have some "edge curl" or both.

Vertical storage is best, if you can manage it.

I read the threads on storage and they were good. Thanks for those. I do like the look of Scandinavian furniture. Nice clean lines. And the prices some of the 1950's furniture now brings is amazing. But I think to buy a period record cabinet if one turns up. But vertically I will store my records to minimize stress on the shellac. What threw me was those old floor model phonographs with horizontal storage shelves. Surely, I thought, back in the day they knew how best to store the records. I will pass on an old cabinet if it has horizontal shelves and wait for one with vertical storage units. You know, about a year ago all I did was buy a busted old off-brand table model for ten bucks. Look where that's got me.

Some of the catalog illustrations I've seen for Columbia and Victrola that depict uprights with horizontal shelves, show the records stored in album binders.

I don't know if that helps prevent warpage, or perhaps encourages a different sort of warpage...


Good luck with your search !