The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Any and all help, info and opinions are appreciated, you won't hurt my feelings.
My first thoughts when I saw this was a remotored phonograph cabinet of some type and it would yield some nice outside horn Victor parts.
After looking at more closely I'm not so sure anymore.

Things I know, this has been in the same family for 40 years. They acquired it from a local auction. The Victor parts look to be from a Victor V, and the cabinet looks to be a Herzog. It seems to be based on a Columbia Symphony Grand with the Herzog cabinet.

This cabinet has the same measurements and construction but with a different style front as a Herzog Columbia cabinet. The side doors and hardware are the same with record storage in the bottom, but there was never any record storage racks above.

Looking at this I can see no signs of anything ever being in this cabinet besides the Victor V parts. There are no extra holes, motor, crank or otherwise. The finishes look original and the condition of the victor parts indicate they have been protected in this cabinet for a very long time.
There are no names or marking of any kind. As far as I know Victor never had anything like this. If some aftermarket shop made it, seems like they would have their name all over it.

The Herzog factory was in this area and large employer at the time. It probably would not be out of the question for a employee or someone else to get a empty cabinet and build this.

Anyway I have come to a dead end with my info search. I have not been able to find what this cabinet may have been used for, anybody recognize it.

So what do you think, worth while project or American frankenphone.

Larry Crandell

I've never seen anything like it but it sure looks like a professionally made cabinet. People were anxious to hide their external horn machines and this looks like an early option. I like it! Jerry Blais

Sorry, I cannot tell you anything about this specific machine/cabinet, except that I think it's very interesting and awesome. I would definitely not part it out if it was mine. Unrelated to this, there is a Machine in the Johnson Victrola Museum which is pretty much a Victor V mechanism in a Douglas (?) cabinet with an external horn. It looks much like a high end gold painted record cabinet with a turntable on top and the horn bracket in the back and an all brass MG horn. I think it has painted decorations on it as well. As far as I understand it was a custom job from the period that would fit well in any castle. Long story short, maybe your machine was a similar custom made product?

Andreas

I think it's beautiful! Definitely a worthwhile project.

I can't imagine how many others like that are out there, so I would totally keep it.

-Connor

I would restore that as close to what must have been original and make it a centerpiece. The workmanship on that cabinet is incredible. It most definitely has got to be period.

Some wealthy family may have commissioned it. Who knows? It'd be a shame to do anything but make it a worthy project.

This is really interesting.

If I were you, I would put the provenance of this piece in writing. Write a letter explaining how you acquired the piece, who you purchased it from, and if they are still alive, try to determine where those sellers acquired it, including the name and location of the auction company. Every detail is important. Sign the letter and put it in a corner of the cabinet.

After that, if you like this machine as it is, I would clean it up and display it. If you don't, I would give it a new home.

The build quality is quite good, and from the photos appears to be completely period. It might be possible for someone to find more information on it someday, so it is worth preserving every detail on this piece in writing while you can.

Garret

Excellent idea Garret.

Thank you everyone for your comments and opinions, they help confirm or support my second thought of this being a little more than a put together handyman item.
As far as more info, there was no more to be had. The daughter was finishing up the parents estate which looked like it had been moved to a storage garage. She remembered her dad dragging this home from a local auction 40 years earlier. It was used off and on over the years but that's it.
So it will be kept whole and admired for what it is, what ever that may be, or turns out to be.
For now it just will be taken care of and I'll decide what to do with it later. I sure do like the cabinet.
Hopefully someone may recognize the cabinet and if it was used for something also.

Larry Crandell

Larry,
For whatever it's worth, I concur with what the others have said. It looks legit to me. Moreover, it's interesting! Congratulations - -

George P.

The cabinet and manufacture data MAY be on the bottom. If you can jack it up high enough it may yield some information. If it were mine I would be looking for a very good professional antique restorer and get it back to new. That may cost maybe a grand. Otherwise start cleaning it up and make it nicer. Have fun restoring it. It is rare. Tom B