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Well, this complete set of eight Victor record albums may not be MIB (Mint In Box), but they are just about as MIP (Mint In Paper) as you are likely to encounter!

The albums, each still sealed in its original paper wrapping (note: album "C"'s tape is not intact), were found in a pristine, unsold, NOS VV-330 by a local collector years ago. The machine was later sold to an antiques dealer without the albums. Earlier this year I bought the albums along with the VV-330's original Record Index (still held in its sealed, original, packing envelope) from the collector/friend. Alas, the fancy key for the VV-330 was nowhere to be found...

These items now reside in my mahogany VE-230 --- although I am not really sure if they are 100% appropriate for the machine. Let me explain: In two different, original, 1923 Victor machine catalogs I own, all Victrolas sold with albums (except the VV-230) are described as being "Fully equipped with Victor record albums", while the VV-230 is described a little differently as being "Fully equipped with special Victor record albums". I brought this to the attention of Bob Baumbach and Paul Eddy, but neither of them had ever noticed the added adjective (special) in the description of the albums for the VV-230. Bob B. thought perhaps black or green albums, like those found in Victor Period Models, may have been original equipment for the top-of-the-line VV-230 ($25.00 more than the VV-330), but this was just a guess.

If anyone out there has found a VV/VE-230 in the wild with its albums, I would love to know what style the albums were.

Thanks, and enjoy the pics,
Bob

Wow.

Bob,

I found a 230 in the wild complete with its albums - blue ones:
You can see the thread where I sold it here:

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... 230#p74642

Hope this helps!

Best,
George P.

Nice to keep them in "as found condition", always a source of research to how things were packed and shipped. You're applauded

Hi George,

Thanks for your very informative and educational reply and previous post. I guess we now know what "Fully equipped with special Victor record albums" means when it comes to the 230. I own (and have seen) both black and green 12" albums of the type that were in your 230. I was not aware of the existence of blue albums of this sort. On top of that, I didn't know 10" albums of this type existed!!! In the past I have been told by several "authorities" that all albums of this type were made only in the 12" size, and then only for the various Victor Period Models. So much for that...

Do you have any other photos of your blue albums to share? I wonder what other colors might have been used for this album style if any?

I learned something new today --- Thanks,
Bob

Alas, I have no other photos of those albums, and they have been gone now for three and a half years. Perhaps the present owner might be a member of this forum and could oblige.

George P.

The albums in George's former VV-230 look identical to the albums used in the Period and Special Victrolas that I have seen. The only difference between these special albums and the regular Victrola albums of this time period is the outside cover material. George's are the only ones I have ever seen in blue, but I have attached pictures of a green album that I have.

Remember that Victor did not make its own albums. The albums were made by an outside company, possibly the Peerless Album Company. That company offered a variety of styles, colors and sizes.

I have several Victor catalogs showing the VV-230. The first one, titled The New Victrola Models, mentions special albums. All the other catalogs, except the latest one I have (Oct 1924), specify special albums. The last catalog just mentions that albums are included.