Vic III Manufactured When?

[randymullx]

My Vic III is serial number 31686 and the cabinet is 14-⅛" x 14-⅛" at the base and is 7-5/16" high. From what I have been able to determine, I think it was made sometime in 1911 but was wondering if someone in this forum could confirm or possibly narrow that down further for me? The horn may or may not be original.

Thanks,
Randy

[Lucius1958]

According to the entry on the Victor-Victrola page, "there is not enough information at present to correlate serial numbers with manufacturing dates."

- Bill

[VanEpsFan1914]

You need Baumbach's Victor Data Book. That one has the information on them-- I realized my own Vic III was supposedly a 1909? The serial is 52XXX.

[oliver]

A beauty!!!!

[Phono-Phan]

Very nice Victor III. What dealer plate is under the ID plate? Can you post a picture of it?

[randymullx]

I do have Baumbach's Victor Data Book which is how I came up with the 1911 estimate. I know there are other lists out there and was hoping someone could help me confirm, or correct my estimate.
Here is a photo of the ID plate. M. Steinert & Sons sounded somehow familiar to me so I did some research and found out the original store was located in Athens, GA which is about 45 miles from my home. Here is some of the information I found:
M. Steinert and Sons is a music store best known for selling Steinway Pianos but they were also an active Victor Talking Machine distributor for many years in New England. The company still exists today with stores located in Boston and Newton, MA but at one time they had 42 stores in various New England cities. The company started when German Immigrant Morris Steinert opened a small store in Athens, Georgia in 1860 but moved both his business and family north when the Civil War started, moving first to New York City, then to Connecticut. The association with Steinway began in 1869 and still exists today. The store in Worcester opened in 1872 and remained in operation until 2009.

[melvind]

The Victor Data book is as good as it gets with dates and numbers and boy am I glad it exists. The info was taken directly from the Victor records.

[Phono-Phan]

Thanks for posting the dealer tag and research information. I haven't seen that one before.