Early Herzog Cylinder Cabinet DONE - Mostly

[Garret]

It's done. A big thanks goes to George and Brad. The top is French polished, and the shelves are all new, but the pegs are from Tim Fabrizio. If anyone can tell me what the purpose of the counter-sunk screw in the door in the first picture is, please let me know. It doesn't hold the door in my cabinet up. Is that what it is supposed to do? In case you are wondering, yes, that is dust on the door and cabinet, from the last sanding in French polishing. Yes, after all that work, I was too lazy to take the picture again. It really looks very nice in real life. Picture two gives you a better idea of what the top looks like.

[Tinkerbell]

It's beautiful...

You brought up a subject I had just considered posting a question about this morning regarding phonograph cabinets.

I noticed that many of these cabinets are fairly expensive when they are listed on Ebay. Is this because of their construction quality, rarity, both, or something else entirely?

[Garret]

Well, I figure I have about $750 in this early and scarce cabinet. I consider part of that tuition in how to do a good shellac finish. These cabinets are very difficult to fix if they are not in the best of condition. I was lucky in that the veneer on my cabinet, with the exception of the top, was in fine condition when I got it at auction.

[SonnyPhono]

That's a good question Tinkerbell. I'm sure someone else will have some answers as I don't know why they are expensive when you see them for sale. My guess is rarity and functionality? You don't see them all too often which may support the rarity. And they do appear to be rather functional. Either way they are great looking cabinets IMO.

[phonogfp]

It's looking very nice, Garret!

The countersunk screw is used to hold a metal pin upon which the door pivots. If your door is scraping at the bottom, simply loosen the countersunk screw and lift the door (there's plenty of clearance). The pin should slide down into the cup in which it pivots. If it doesn't, remove the screw and gently coax the pin downward with a jeweler's screwdriver or other suitable tool. Now replace and tighten the screw, and your door should pivot freely.

Tink, your question as to why some of these record cabinets command high prices is a combination of factors. Collectors like unusual cabinets, and this usually means something fancy. As a general rule, the fancier the record cabinet, the higher the price. Quality is important, but many high-quality yet plain record cabinets go begging. Rarity is always tricky, as illustrated by off-brand uprights of the late teens. Some of them are rare all right, but few want them because they're otherwise undistinguished.

The Herzog "710" (often called a "half-round cabinet")is not a rare cabinet, but collectors like them because of their quality and that stylish bowed front. (Garret's "710" is the early version of the cabinet with wooden braces on the door shelves rather then wire supports, and this version is indeed scarce.) A few years ago, prices for typical 710s were approaching $2000, but one recently sold at a well-attended phonograph auction for around $500. (It had some veneer problems.) Strangely, my wife found one in a local shop this summer for $100, and a couple of weeks ago a friend of mine found another about an hour from here for $60. Both examples are missing their door shelves (naturally), but are otherwise complete and sound. (The one my wife found was painted brown... ) So prices - and conditions - will vary pretty widely. If the feet are shot when these cabinets are found, you will have a problem unless there's a lathe & handy woodworker available...and an original foot to copy.

I've rambled on enough...time for bed! Hope this helped.

George P.

[OrthoSean]

Thanks George for typing all of that out! I felt like I've been hijacking a bit lately, but you said just what I would have.

I picked my 710 up at an estate auction about 5 years ago for $500, it's a beauty of an example and I was willing to pay twice that. They sure look sweet with a Triumph with an oak cygnet horn on top!

Nice job, Garret!

Sean

[Brad]

Excellent job Garrett. It takes a lot of time, but there is definite satisfaction when you can honor an old piece and restore it to its original luster.

I trust you found stamping the numbers on the tube caps about a mind numbing exercise that is humanly possible! I certainly did.

When you bring yourself around to placing a machine on the mirror top and fill the cabinet with cylinders, come back with a few more pictures.

[fjk43]

I have one without the shelves,Need a pattern for the inside and the ones mounted on the doors.anybody ?