The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I was recently at a outdoor flea market not seeing much of interest when suddenly to my amazement I spotted a Victor II humpback cabinet. I bought it for $10. It is just the cabinet with the speed control and brake only, no motor, no horn bracket, no ID plate, or any other parts.

My inclination is to try to find all the parts pieces etc. to restore the machine back to working order as I have no Victor II Humpback in my collection. Is such a ground up project worthwhile or cost effective? Looking for opinions. Thanks.

You are the only person that can answer that. I enjoy a labor of love. I love my Humpback. If you’re lucky you might be able to marry your case to another, or you might consider selling the case to someone who has the other parts. At any rate, you got a lot for a little.

My opinion -- it depends.

If you are willing to wait a long time (probably years) until you can gather the right parts at the right price (e.g., bargain), then yes, it might be worth it. It could happen. You can always try posting ads in the Yankee Trader.

If you are eager to restore your Victor II in the very near future, then probably not. If you have to buy parts from the established parts suppliers who are businessmen trying to make a living, you will probably spend more than the price of a complete, original machine.

My 2 cents.