Aw, that's the trouble--I'm fixing to take delivery of a battered but supposedly running Amberola 30 (late series), and Orthosean is graciously holding an Edison Standard in green oak for a few months.
But the other trouble is, I'm in a tiny dormitory room at a Catholic seminary, where I will be for quite a long time indeed. My two Victrolas and records are 100s of miles away, and I will have to return--and I don't even own a car!
Yes, I'd save it if I could. You know, a 210 was an inspiration, one of the many machines that helped get me into the hobby. If I listed the machines that got me interested:
1. 1912 VV-IX, incorrect No. 2 soundbox and arm. First Victrola I ever heard.
2. A crapophone.
3. Alligatored and seized-up Victrola 210. I stared at it until my parents wondered what got into me.
4. A badly alligatored Grafonola. Little kid me was super impressed with the volume controls
5. Generic cylinder machine, missing horn, in museum. Parents were like, "let's go see the rest of the museum..."
6. Old Dictaphone from the 1930s. I thought that was the coolest thing ever! Office work used to be fun? Who knew?
7. 3 thrift store 78s, one cracked. Bought these anyway to play on my Crosley back when I was little.
And now for my own highly specialized collection.
8. 1914 Victrola XIV-E. Sagging, alligatored heap left to rot in barn for 50 years. Antique dealer couldn't move it after nine months or more. I got it. You almost got the parts and I almost burnt it for fire wood, but it was 102 years old and I couldn't bring myself to do it. Now it's 103 ½ and running great!
9. 1930 RCA Victor VV-265 Victrola. Looks really nasty. So dusty when I got it that I couldn't read the decal.
10. An Amberola 30 from shopGoodwill.com, on the way. It's the late model with pot metal and all.
Do you get what's in common? My imagination was sparked by junk machines. The part-out kind. The kind that no one wants because they happen to not work--you know, they're 90-odd years old and I am always suspicious when they DO work. I love fixing them, too. There was a dealer I knew who parted out machines regularly, working or not. If I was phonograph Batman, he was the Joker. Out of all he destroyed he kept one for himself. He had to send it off because he couldn't fix it, and said it was an
RCA Victor with a big brass horn... 
Seeing these common machines, even in normal as-found shape, reminds me of the adventure, the joy of chasing records and Victrolas as a teenager, rattling through Dixie in Mom's old banger of a Corolla. Even if it was common or considered boring, I was stoked to find a 1924 VV-260 once at an antique store--"a humpback console? Too cool!"--and the adventure hasn't stopped.
Someone could really get a kick out of this 210, that's all. I know we need parts but it's a little sad to see one this nice get chopped up. Collectors won't want it but find a kid or a pair of newlyweds and let them have at it...even if not working.
They still make mainsprings. They don't make Victrolas. But Victrolas make collectors and collectors save history.
Unless they are in seminary...then they only save a little history at a time, and not move it.
