The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

It funny how over the years we collectors strive to obtain a few nice rare phonographs and sometimes overlook some great machines in our local shops and flea markets. None of my machines are that spectacular or rare but I usually don't have any upright Victrolas for the simple reason that I have limited space in my home. Recently in visiting a friend in a local antique shop I stumbled upon a plain old Victrola priced at just $125. It was dirty and had a few white paint sprinkles on the front of it. Usually I would not bother with such as this but in a moment of weakness, if you could call it that, I bought it.

When it arrived home I tried a few records and the works seemed to be in tact. I took a small screw driver and carefully scraped away the paint specs. I then applied a bit of stain to the affected areas and it matched perfectly to my surprise. I then touched up a few other scrape marks and it did the same. Forgive my inadequate terminology as I am not well versed on Victrolas. The bed plate and the reproducer "tone arm"??? were really grungy and I did not know the best way to clean them. I had used WD40 to clean oily and greasy metal parts in the past so I gave them a wipe with the WD. The wood and the tone arm polished up perfectly so I cleaned up the rest of the bed plate. I could not believe how beautifully it cleaned up.

One thing that I have truly missed is the steadiness, power, and durability of the floor model Victrola motors as many of the smaller machines just don't seem to have that capacity. A good friend of mine in the Pacific North West by the Name of Ira Dueltgen insisted that the victor motor was the workhorse of the phonographs. He was right.

I don't want to bore you all with my story but to ask you to bear with me for a second. I need a little professional advice.
The underside of the lid has a beautiful Victrola decal on it but on either side it looks like white, possibly moisture patches. The finish is not chipped or damaged other than the whitish discoloration. How do I bring back the original wood finish color? I don't want to refinish and loose the beautiful decal. Thank you.

I would use Howard's Restore-A-Finish that you can get at any good hardware store. There are several different colors available, to match the finish of your Victrola. To apply, follow the basic directions on the can. I suggest that you use rubber gloves, and 0000 steel wool. When you work around the decal, carefully go around the perimeter of it. Do not use steel and Howard's on the decal, as you will ruin it.Good luck with your project,
Harvey Kravitz

If the Howard's does not do the trick (which it usually does) and the white discoloration looks "smokey" as though moisture somehow got through the shellac, you might try this: Take the lid off and lay it flat, then using denatured alcohol in a spray bottle, LIGHTLY mist the discolored area and wait an hour. If after an hour, there is no difference you can try again. This has worked for me in the past to restore the shellac to it's original look. Do not over apply the alcohol as it will definitely cause damage to the finish, but a very light misting has done the trick for me on more than one occasion. If there is alligatoring of the finish, this may smooth it up some, so be aware. I usually rough the area slightly with 0000 steel wool after a day or so and then wax. This blends in the repaired area.

Matt

Before doing any of the above, first try "white ring remover". It's made for moisture rings on tabletops and can be had in some hardware stores and online. The other solutions are good ones, but try this one first as it could be the least invasive method.

https://www.amazon.com/Homax-White-Ring ... B002XN20D2

Good luck with your new Victrola, and most of all: Enjoy!

Regards,
Martin

mattrx wrote:If the Howard's does not do the trick (which it usually does) and the white discoloration looks "smokey" as though moisture somehow got through the shellac, you might try this: Take the lid off and lay it flat, then using denatured alcohol in a spray bottle, LIGHTLY mist the discolored area and wait an hour. If after an hour, there is no difference you can try again. This has worked for me in the past to restore the shellac to it's original look. Do not over apply the alcohol as it will definitely cause damage to the finish, but a very light misting has done the trick for me on more than one occasion. If there is alligatoring of the finish, this may smooth it up some, so be aware. I usually rough the area slightly with 0000 steel wool after a day or so and then wax. This blends in the repaired area.

Matt

Similarly, a couple of drops of denatured alcohol on a soft cloth or an old sock may work. Just be careful not to overapply and make the finish uneven.

Thank you very much for all of your very helpful information! I knew that I could count on you guys to help me with this. There may not be many of us older collectors left, as I started in the early 60s but I have truly enjoyed old phonographs and the many caring and giving collectors! Old timers that are now gone such as Art Faner, Ira Dueltgen, Paul Graham, Bill Shauver, and a host of others have assisted me and helped to further the interest in phonographs for myself and countless others. Thanks a lot! Bless their memories!