The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

About four years ago, I was in an antique shop near here and they had a side-loading disc storage cabinet that was obviously intended for a Victrola XII -- with a VV-IX sitting upon it. The price was astronomical: $1200, IIRC. I passed.

Eventually, the antique shop went out of business (no wonder!)

Yesterday, the wife and I went for a ride and stopped in another shop that is very seldom open. Lo and behold, there sat the same cabinet and Victrola!

I worked out a deal and picked up both. My Victrola XII now sits upon an exactly-matching side-loading cabinet! There is a slight difference in the finish color between the machine and the cabinet that I will address someday I hope. The cabinet has hand carved ball and paw feet, a slide-out shelf, but no drawer.

Does anyone else have any side-loading disc cabinets in their collection?

John,

I have a Salter cabinet for a Victrola XII which appears below. As I was shooting, it occurred to me that an Edison A-150 up there also has a record drawer which is side-loading. Then I realized that there was also a cylinder cabinet with 3 side-loading drawers which can be pulled out either side. All kinda strange stuff. Congratulations on your cabinet!

George P.

Great find there John! I have a VV-XII with the carving under the lid and have always admired that cabinet. Wish I had one Hey George - what a pleasure it is to see some of the phonographs in your collection. Thanks for sharing them along with the pics of the unusual cabinets!

phonogfp wrote:John,

I have a Salter cabinet for a Victrola XII which appears below. As I was shooting, it occurred to me that an Edison A-150 up there also has a record drawer which is side-loading. Then I realized that there was also a cylinder cabinet with 3 side-loading drawers which can be pulled out either side. All kinda strange stuff. Congratulations on your cabinet!

George P.

George, another interesting thing about your A150 pictured is the side spells, and possibly the one in the back are removed, would have to be for that cabinet to work I guess.

Mine has the spells as does Schwegs pictured in the below thread. Never noticed there could be a difference till now.

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... f=2&t=3294

FellowCollector wrote:Hey George - what a pleasure it is to see some of the phonographs in your collection. Thanks for sharing them along with the pics of the unusual cabinets!

Doug, the pleasure is mine - glad you enjoyed them.

Bruce,
The rear spell remains on this oak A-150, but it's simply straight: not the fancier shape we're used to. The side spells were cut out at some point before I acquired it, but I already had the drawer and the numbers inside it are configured for sideways placement, so it was a marriage made in heaven. Clearly the original owner removed the side spells in order to use a drawer exactly like this one. (Had the spells been present, I would have been out of luck, as I certainly wouldn't have cut them!)

I've not seen these plain straight spells on any other A-150 or Amberola III. The cabinet is a product of Cabinet Factory No. 5. I'd be interested in hearing from others whose A-150s or Amberola IIIs have a C.F. No.5 label.

Best,
George P.