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Did the oak versions of this model made 1915-1916 simply get stain and wax at the factory or did they get a coat of shellac? I recently bought one of these and the inside protions which were well protected seem to be very light golden oak with no apparent shellac but just a ever so slight dull sheen. Perhpas one coat of shellac at factory that for the most part soaked in giving it a flat sheen? Outside areas are dark from age but cleaned up nicely with lemon oil and steel wool. Considering putting a orange oil bees wax on as the final finish but am having second thoughts and thinking about one coat of shellac. Hate to do anything to drastic. Any advise from experts regarding rescuing original finishes as much as possible when the wood is oak and trying to stay authentic to original?

I am not sure which year Victor stop using shellac. Best to test for it. Iind an area that is not visible and put a couple of drops of denatured alcohol. If the finish disolves, it is shellac.

I believe the quartersawn oak finish was not stained, but fummed with ammonia, then coated with shellac.

If the finish is in good shape, I would just clean it and wax it and then enjoy.

Have a look at "Topic: Identify Finish on Victor VV-100" in the Antique Talking Machines group Jeff Lee coordinates. I posted pics of the oak XI I have and believe that it was merely waxed. There doesn't appear to be any shellac on it as far as I can tell.

Steve

my understanding is that there were different oak finishes. I have a VTLA from 1909, and it certainly has a shellac finish, but I have a table top XI that isn't from that much later, and the finsh looks a little light to be fumed oak (perhaps? I have no clue), but certainly doesn't have much if any shellac (on the interior as well). The most recent look for the dog lists them with color pictures. At the office, so don't have it handy, but I do recall there being several versions of the oak finish.

Oh boy! "Look for the Dog" lists eight (8) varieties of oak finish for the XI: American, Driftwood, Early English, Flemish, Fumed, Golden, Gunmetal, and Weathered. No details are offered as to which oak finishes were introduced when (except Fumed, April 1914), nor whether shellac, varnish, or other. See LFTD, pages 92 and 14-15.