The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi All
I just picked up a Victor XVI in oak that was listed on Craigslist here in Arizona and have a few questions and a couple of needs. The serial # is in the 106,000 range and has the exposed speed indicator. Gold plate overall is in very good condition-but turtable rim appears to be nickel not gold-could this be correct or should it be replaced?. while the 2 front motor board screws appear to be nickel you can after looking closely see bits of the gold plating on them. This unit has been in the same family since new and the granddaughter said that her grandmothers house was so clean you could eat off the floor, The crank plating is poor-worn. The unit is missing the used needle holder and I would asume that this should be gold as well. I know that this unit should have a #12 exhibition reproducer and the one that is there is so marked but without any number.
In addition, after looking at some pictures I am trying to figure out if the record storage area is correct . There is one shelf that divids that area that is horizontal. Looks like 10" above and 12" below. The area inside is not oak but looks like stained ash. The color is close but not the same. Mounting holes for a palet are there and the inside after a very close look does not appaer to have been altered.
I have colected various Victor albums but are unsure what types this unit takes.
I know that I need the needle holder that is a given so if anyone has one for sale let me know-the same for the crank as well. I do not know about the turntable or reproducer-info on those would help.

Thx Abe

Sounds correct to me. If you go to my website you can see a mahogany VEXVI with the same construction. It's not clear in the picture but the turntable is nickel plated on the sides I'm sure. You can also see the correct, (at least for this one) 10 and 12 inch albums. In the victor section of the website www.bojo.cz/phonograph

Cheers, Bruce
PS: congrats on the oak one. I've been looking for a mint one but so far no luck!

Here is a snapshot of my L-door XVI. Ignore the soundbox, the rest is accurate.

Bruce,
Thanks for the reply-there must be different types of these within the same model run. My speed indicator is shaped differently with the words fast and slow spelled out and it is on the upper left hand side along with the speed adjustment knob.
Th motor pull out knob is in the lower left and the start stop lever is on the upper right.

I would not call this unit mint-not at least as looking thru an art restorers eyes. No water rings on top-no missing or warped veneer-a couple of small dents on the front a number of scrathches on top and on one side. All the carving is in mint shape. But I've looked at a half dozen of these at a few shows and even with what is missing I think it is a good unit. I will go through the motor-maybe try to rebuild the reproducer or send it off-and spend 20 or so hours cleaning, filling, touching up and then repad the finish-and then there is finding all those albums...
Abe

need4art wrote:Bruce,
Thanks for the reply-there must be different types of these within the same model run. My speed indicator is shaped differently with the words fast and slow spelled out and it is on the upper left hand side along with the speed adjustment knob.
Th motor pull out knob is in the lower left and the start stop lever is on the upper right.

I would not call this unit mint-not at least as looking thru an art restorers eyes. No water rings on top-no missing or warped veneer-a couple of small dents on the front a number of scrathches on top and on one side. All the carving is in mint shape. But I've looked at a half dozen of these at a few shows and even with what is missing I think it is a good unit. I will go through the motor-maybe try to rebuild the reproducer or send it off-and spend 20 or so hours cleaning, filling, touching up and then repad the finish-and then there is finding all those albums...
Abe

There have been several versions of the XVI, as it was the original Victrola first produced in 1906, and ran until 1921. I personally own 2, both very different from each other. I have a 1909 VTLA in the 8000 range of serial numbers (predates the XVI picutred). It has the same speed control, but a bullet brake (and the motor board sits ontop of the deck rather than in, and has two simple round head wood screws holding it down). My other XVI is from 1913, and around 80,000. This one was made after phonofans, and the first XVI to ditch the L door. It has the same round speed control, but has an automatic brake in the upper right hand corner...and four gold plated screws holding down the motorboard. This models has an E suffix after the serial number. The next version (F suffix) had an exposed needle speed control. The G and H had a large glass enclosed speed control, and then they dropped the suffixes, and went to the small enclosed speed control.

This goes to the turn table...it had nickle trim up until the H suffix I believe. This is a left over from the bullet brake. The bullet brake would have quickly worn off the thin gold plating Victor used.

As for the record binders. There were three types. A box with a brass pull, a binder with a brass pull (17 pages), and the 10 page binder with a cloth covered pull. The boxes were used for the VTLAs and early L doors. Later through the L doors, the switched to the brass pull binder (this version lasted until around 1913 and the E series). By the time your machine was produced, it was the cloth pull binders

Whew! You guys saved me. My L-door (don't we all have one?) was converted to an autostop and the original brake removed. I assumed it had a gold-plated bullet brake and MAN are they pricey! But after checking more closely it seems is was the common "tab" brake.

A MILLION THANKS!

I don't mean to burst your bubble Covah, but my L door (Yes, we all have one) has a bullet brake. SN in 18,xxx.

(Did you find your needle cup?)

Brad

Brad wrote:I don't mean to burst your bubble Covah, but my L door (Yes, we all have one) has a bullet brake. SN in 18,xxx.

Yup. Mine does too. VTLA SN 8878.

Brad wrote:I don't mean to burst your bubble Covah, but my L door (Yes, we all have one) has a bullet brake. SN in 18,xxx.

(Did you find your needle cup?)

Brad

According to the Victor Data book, the switch came with the C series between 18xxx and 43xxx

\

AZ* wrote:

Brad wrote:I don't mean to burst your bubble Covah, but my L door (Yes, we all have one) has a bullet brake. SN in 18,xxx.

Yup. Mine does too. VTLA SN 8878.

Got a slight lead on you.