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Need help identifying these 3 machines
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 11:01 pm
by Mormon S
Can anyone identify these machines? I know the large one is of course a victrola L door which is definitely valuable, but what model? And the other 2 machines I have no clue. The one with the green horn has the wide adaptors which I recognize, but know very little about. Any info?
Re: Need help identifying these 3 machines
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 11:09 pm
by Mormon S
They also have an amberola V and a victor VV-IV L. Hhow much does a amberola V go for in the color and conditon? I have heard of some amberola Vs of having "notoriously loud motors", is this true?
Re: Need help identifying these 3 machines
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 11:15 pm
by VanEpsFan1914
Okay--
From the top now!
Victrola L-door--valuable, really cool, great records storage. Get it if you have space.
Green horn--"The Aretino Machine," Columbia client brand for really rare records. Buy a new turntable from JAS Antiques to play modern Victor type 78s on it, keep the Aretino turntable for Aretino records. An awesome piece of history.
NEXT: Unsure. Looks European, is kind of cool...
AMBEROLA V: Make like Nike and JUST DO IT. A collector yesterday told me that they have near-silent motors when properly tuned. Quiet like turbines, they say. I'd love to have one. They've got big old horns in them and look awesome.
VV-IV. It's a Victrola, why not?
Re: Need help identifying these 3 machines
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 11:27 pm
by Mormon S
VanEpsFan1914 wrote:Okay--
From the top now!
Victrola L-door--valuable, really cool, great records storage. Get it if you have space.
Green horn--"The Aretino Machine," Columbia client brand for really rare records. Buy a new turntable from JAS Antiques to play modern Victor type 78s on it, keep the Aretino turntable for Aretino records. An awesome piece of history.
NEXT: Unsure. Looks European, is kind of cool...
AMBEROLA V: Make like Nike and JUST DO IT. A collector yesterday told me that they have near-silent motors when properly tuned. Quiet like turbines, they say. I'd love to have one. They've got big old horns in them and look awesome.
VV-IV. It's a Victrola, why not?
Thank you! Good to know, but they are asking 875 for the Columbia and 600 for the amberola V

. The person who posted it was helping an older friend sell it. If nothing has sold within a week I'll talk to the guy who owns them and see if I can get a better deal.
Re: Need help identifying these 3 machines
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 11:58 pm
by Jerry B.
The "L door" is a VV-XVI. The first Victrola was identified on its ID tag as a "VTLA" which was an abbreviation of "Victrola". I imagine at that period of time the Victrola was almost an unknown sales experiment. Sales of the must have been much more than expected and the VTLA evolved into the XVI followed by more models. Victrola sales soared.
In my opinion the Amberola V is worth going after. I think most long time collectors would agree that the Amberola V was the finest table model Amberola ever made. I hope you get it for less but an elegant Amberola V in mahogany is worth the $600 asking price or very close to that amount.
Jerry Blais
Re: Need help identifying these 3 machines
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 12:02 am
by Mormon S
Jerry B. wrote:The "L door" is a VV-XVI. The first Victrola was identified on its ID tag as a "VTLA" which was an abbreviation of "Victrola". I imagine at that period of time the Victrola was almost an unknown sales experiment. Sales of the must have been much more than expected and the VTLA evolved into the XVI followed by more models. Victrola sales soared.
In my opinion the Amberola V is worth going after. I think most long time collectors would agree that the Amberola V was the finest table model Amberola ever made. I hope you get it for less but an elegant Amberola V in mahogany is worth the $600 asking price or very close to that amount.
Jerry Blais
Well, I'd dint mention this but it is 4 hours from here. I only really considered it if they were at a good price and if I got 2 or more. If i can get the price down to 400, maybe I'll make the trip, but 400 would be quite the haggle

Re: Need help identifying these 3 machines
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 12:23 am
by phonogal
I agree with Jerry, The Amberola V is worth the $600.00.
Re: Need help identifying these 3 machines
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 12:40 am
by Jerry B.
if I got 2 or more
Oh Goody, let's all help Mormon do a little shopping for two...maybe three!
Me first... I'm a sucker for a elegant big early Victrola. I think every collection should have a nice "L door" Victrola. It takes you back to the birth of the internal horn phenomena. Also go for the Amberola V. The Edison company had hopes of capturing its share of the "high class" market with the big Amberola 1-A & B and the Amberola V. When sales are disappointing the Amberola line was cheapened and efforts placed in the Diamond Disc. I wish I could give a good opinion on the third machine in the original post. It does look interesting.
Let's hear other shopping suggestions. Others?
Jerry Blais
Re: Need help identifying these 3 machines
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 1:22 am
by Mormon S
Jerry B. wrote: if I got 2 or more
Oh Goody, let's all help Mormon do a little shopping for two...maybe three
If they were all a GREAT price I would have. Unfortunately they seem to know what they can get out of it

. 8 hours on the road for an amberola V? Not sure...
Re: Need help identifying these 3 machines
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 4:41 am
by epigramophone
VanEpsFan1914 wrote:Okay--
From the top now!
Victrola L-door--valuable, really cool, great records storage. Get it if you have space.
Green horn--"The Aretino Machine," Columbia client brand for really rare records. Buy a new turntable from JAS Antiques to play modern Victor type 78s on it, keep the Aretino turntable for Aretino records. An awesome piece of history.
NEXT: Unsure. Looks European, is kind of cool...
AMBEROLA V: Make like Nike and JUST DO IT. A collector yesterday told me that they have near-silent motors when properly tuned. Quiet like turbines, they say. I'd love to have one. They've got big old horns in them and look awesome.
VV-IV. It's a Victrola, why not?
I agree that the machine in Picture 3 looks European. That winding handle has an internal thread and is of the type used on Paillard motors. Speaking of motors, the depth of the case suggests that it may contain something very substantial, perhaps a triple spring Paillard.
There is a plaque of some sort on the front left hand corner of the motor board, which might help identify the machine if only we could read it.