The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello All,

I know it's been a while since Ive posted, but I have been working on a few phono projects and getting the house and yard ready for... winter. A few weeks ago I found a Silvertone upright in fair condition. Ive seen a couple of pictures of their higher end machines and thought they were somewhat interesting. This one happens to be a model B-XIV in Walnut I believe. After the usual tear down and going over the motor, it's running smooth once again. I need to do the reproducer yet, but doesn't sound bad for what it is. The cabinet needed a good cleaning, and there was no shortage of paint spatters to contend with. I also doubt the heavy tweed grill cloth was original The pictures aren't the best as they were taken in the basement, but once I get it upstairs and in some natural light, pics should be much better. I just thought Id pass along the end results. Also, a friend of mine had a nice scan of the Sears catalog that it was advertised in. One thing that's been puzzling me: On the metal plate that holds the diamond and sapphire jewels, there is an opening for the lateral and vertical reproducer adapters, but behind that, is a hole with a metal sleeve inside of it, about ¼" in diameter, what is this for?? I'm assuming it's for some sort of accessory, but what would that be?

Nice find! That is one of the high end Silvertone machines (If I recall it sold for about $125 new), it has some real elegance and style. The metal sleeve is to turn the reproducer to play vertical cut discs- take the reproducer off the arm, insert the adapter, then the reproducer will face front. The little holes on either side held the jewel tipped styluses.

Nice Silvertone Victor78!

I am curious about this little hole too as there is one on my silvertone. The plate has a hole that the adapter for 78's sits in as well as a small hole on either side of the adapter for a Pathé and Edison needle. But behind the plate a bit more towards the back there is a small hole about ¼" that has a small metal sleeve in it. I can't figure out what it it for either. Can anyone shine some light on this one?

the small hole you're talking about was/is for storing the attachment that allowed the silvertone reproducer to be used with vertical cut discs (along with those diamond and saphire needles). the attachment is small tube-shaped piece about an inch or an inch and a half or so long, with a slight bend at the middle - it mounted onto the end of the tonearm, and you would then mount the reproducer onto it, giving it the proper angle for playing Pathé and diamond discs.

Guys, Sonny and Victor78 are referring to the hole behind the one the adapter sits in, it's directly behind the one the adapter rests in. I've always wondered what it was for also...

Sean

Here's a similar Silvertone on Ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Silvertone-Upright- ... 255774a5e1

These machines are BIG and for visual impact compare favorably with a Victor XVI. For $125 a Sears customer got good value.

I have seen a couple of those locally. One was a near basket case but very large and quite fancy. The second one was about third the size in walnut and very ornate also. I have always liked sears machines ever since I had a table model in oak that was the clearest and one of the best sounding small machines I ever heard. I think in the height of the acoustic period they made a pretty solid machine, but when the electrical era came in it seems both the cabinets and the tone arms suffered from poorer quality constructions. I wish I had bought the little sears one, but it had a broken spring and they wanted 250.00 for it and it sat in the shop for several years but finally some one did buy it.

Larry

OrthoSean wrote:Guys, Sonny and Victor78 are referring to the hole behind the one the adapter sits in, it's directly behind the one the adapter rests in. I've always wondered what it was for also...

Sean

Is it possible that you can store the crank there? Maybe you could put the crank away, lock the lid and your kids couldn't get at anything.

estott wrote:

OrthoSean wrote:Guys, Sonny and Victor78 are referring to the hole behind the one the adapter sits in, it's directly behind the one the adapter rests in. I've always wondered what it was for also...

Sean

Is it possible that you can store the crank there? Maybe you could put the crank away, lock the lid and your kids couldn't get at anything.

I had thought of that too, but the hole doesn't go all the way through the board. It's just a hole, with a sleeve, and a wood bottom. I wonder if we call Sears Parts Direct they could tell us

- Jim

Victor78 wrote:

estott wrote:

OrthoSean wrote:Guys, Sonny and Victor78 are referring to the hole behind the one the adapter sits in, it's directly behind the one the adapter rests in. I've always wondered what it was for also...

Sean

Is it possible that you can store the crank there? Maybe you could put the crank away, lock the lid and your kids couldn't get at anything.

I had thought of that too, but the hole doesn't go all the way through the board. It's just a hole, with a sleeve, and a wood bottom. I wonder if we call Sears Parts Direct they could tell us

- Jim

oh, that hole... hmm... record/dust brush?