The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello....

I was lucky to find a early style Victrola XIV in an Oak finish over the weekend. The machine is wonderful and runs beautifully, but I have a question on it's finish. I personally believe it was originally an Antique Oak finish, but my brother believes it is a Golden Oak that has faded now looks antique due to age. I have never owned an Oak finished Victrola, so I have to admit I am not certain what they look like after so many years from when they were built. I am hoping that some of the experts on this board might be able to tell me what they think. I am very happy with this new machine and I also wanted to share some photos of it to other people who love these old phonographs.

If the finish is original, the underside of the lid and the inside of the doors should give you a clue. If the finish has been messed with sometime in the last 90 years, then it's hard to say.

Very, very nice early XIV!!! Not often seen in oak!

If the finish is original, then just remove the tonearm, and the colour underneath should tell you whether the finish has faded or changed much.
Looking at the inside of the doors, I'm leaning towards antique oak myself, and I think the golden colour look is probably due to furniture polishes and nicotine etc over the years. Being on the other side of the world though, I've never seen any Victrola in person, so I'm only going by photos I've seen on the web, so it could well be golden oak lol.
It's a great looking machine btw. Congratulations!

Congratulations on a very nice Victrola. I've collected nearly forty years and I have only owned one early XIV and it was the more common mahogany. Jerry Blais

Believe it not, Antique Oak is considerable lighter in color than Golden Oak. The names would suggest otherwise, but the charts that Victor sent to the dealers do show this. There is a good photo of the chart in The Victor Data Book, and I think that your machine matches the Golden Oak sample. Golden Oak was a popular finish used on many different Victor models, as well as the popular furniture of the period. I think that the name Antique Oak refers to the fact that the color was popular on furniture that would have been considered antique in 1915, not that it is supposed to look like aged Golden Oak.

Everyone, thank you for your responses and thoughts on my new machine. Judging from what I am reading, it sounds like my Victrola is Golden Oak. The pictures do not show it very well, but the wood grain is actually very dark -- almost black -- inside the doors and in the areas where it was protected. Since Antique Oak was apparently lighter in color, that would tend to make it the more common golden oak color. Either way I am very happy with this phonograph, I have a couple of the more common models and it is nice to have one that is not as seen as often. As always, I really enjoy reading the posts on this forum. All of you are so helpful and I have learned a great deal from the information you are willing to share.

Very sweet XIV indeed! I was lucky enough to get one of these in golden oak as well straight out of the original family's home just a few blocks away from where I live about 10 years ago. It's one of my favorite machines and certainly not one you see often!

Sean

Sean...

That sounds like a wonderful find. I came by mine at an Antique Mall/Flea Market about 50 miles from where I live. I would love to get one from an original family, just having the chance to know about the history of the machine would be great. I am glad you enjoy your Victrola, I have really been liking this one. It now occupies a prominent place in my living room.

Mike

It's always fun to know where a machine "lived". I always try to find out, if possible. This XIV I've got was purely "right place, right time". A guy who used to buy estates out for auctions spotted it in the house and called me to come take a look. I was expecting a typical XI or something common and could hardly contain myself. Needless to say, I left very happily that afternoon with the XIV. Mine's in my office at the moment and rather buried behind 78s I've been sorting from a collection. I should really move mine into my living room, it would be right at home with the 8-9 and HMV 145, both oak machines. I have a bit of a weakness for oak phonographs.

Sean