The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

The taper tube, brake and speed control were gold-plated on Victor VTLA, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XX and some other models. (And I know gold leaf was applied to cabinet trim on the most expensive models.) But were any of the following parts gold-plated? (They're all gold colored, but are they actually gold-plated?)

• winding key
• sound box
• lid key
• front cabinet knobs
• back door knob
• cabinet hinges
• caster wheels

Thanks!
Richard

New Yorker wrote:The taper tube, brake and speed control were gold-plated on Victor VTLA, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XX and some other models. (And I know gold leaf was applied to cabinet trim on the most expensive models.) But were any of the following parts gold-plated? (They're all gold colored, but are they actually gold-plated?)

• winding key
• sound box
• lid key
• front cabinet knobs
• back door knob
• cabinet hinges
• caster wheels

Thanks!
Richard

All of those parts were gold plated on earlier machines. After 1921, more and more of the external cabinet hardware was finished in gunmetal, even on some rather luxurious models. In 1927 the gold and nickle plating lines were shut down entirely, and gunmetal, black japan, or painted gold were the only remaining metal finishes used on Victrola components.

As the owner of an L-door XVI, I can say:

Yes (except for the casters).

Bill