Step-by-Step Restoration of a Mahogany Victor V

[jmad7474]

Hi all,

I recently found this rare mahogany Victor V through a Kansas online estate auction company listing last week. More accurately, a friend of mine who doesn't collect anything music related stumbled upon the listing for it while looking for old film equipment listings, contacted me right away saying "you should take a look at this, they're selling an 1800s wind-up Victrola with the big horn in front"* and sent me the link for the posting. I made an offer I thought was reasonable for it, and evidently the listing manager approved of my offer since they were kind enough to ship it priority mail to me the same day I bought it!

As you can see, this once-proud unit catering to only the wealthiest of record buyers is rusty, crusty, tired and absolutely filthy. It was delivered to me and unpacked today, and the very first thing I had to do was leave it on my back porch with the window open to let it air out for several hours because it STUNK more than our current President's approval rating! It smelled like mold and dried cat urine (and still does, though not as strongly), and the summer heat concentrating the rancid smell inside the airtight shipping box for a week while it was in transit did not help. Interestingly, the Exhibition reproducer has been recently rebuilt, and there is a dealer's decal in the upper right corner of the motorboard stating it was originally sold through a music company in Philadelphia. (How and why this phonograph traveled from Philly to Kansas I have no clue!)

I'll revive this phonograph as much as I am able, and document all the steps along the way. I have previously restored a Victor 0 that arrived to me completely unusable, and fixed it up into something that looks like it stepped out of a time capsule (true humble bragging). Based on my initial findings of this machine, there is no reason why it can't be saved and given a similar restoration job.

This phonograph also appears to be a very late production model, as indicated by the fact that it has the same "yielding" turntable system which Victor previously reserved for its VI model, production of which ceased in 1915 AFAIK. However, it does not have a semi-automatic brake like the only other mahogany Victor V I've seen had, so the exact year of its manufacture is anyone's guess until I can clean up the ID tag and look at the serial number. I also assume that for the few remaining customers who still wanted an external horn phonograph after WWI but before the Orthophonic era, this was Victor's TOTL model since I am not aware of any special-order Victor VIs made during that same time period.

In prepping this player for upcoming Day One of restoration, I have removed the reproducer, pulled off the old rotten turntable felt, and removed all metal hardware except the winding crank, motorboard hinges, horn, turntable and tonearm/back bracket. I put them in a plastic baggie so they stay together and don't get any other surfaces dirty in the meantime. I plan on cleaning and polishing the small metal components first before working my up to the larger tasks of rejuvenating the cabinet and horn, cleaning and re-lubricating the motor, and then calibrating everything back together so this unit can sing again like it did nearly (over?) a century ago. Using a crappy test record I don't care about (Bing Crosby 78s are good for something after all!), I was able to confirm that the motor does have enough power to be able to make it through at least two sides of a 10" 78 without any noticeable speed fluctuations or thudding/banging, so I know the mainsprings likely won't need any work.

I plan on starting Day One restoration either tomorrow after work (29-July-2020) and/or using the afternoon of 1-Aug-2020 to get it done. Needless to say, if anyone reading this wants to offer me their two cents on how to transform this from a toad into a prince, please don't hesitate to share!

*Not to worry, after thanking him for sending me the listing, I did educate him about how this isn't a Victrola, doesn't have the horn in front of the cabinet, and certainly is not from the 1800s. He then asked if he could come hear it play after I fix it up since he wanted to hear which of my vinyl albums would sound the best on it...

[Jerry B.]

Congratulations on a very nice purchase and find. I can't wait to see the progress.

Jerry Blais

[zipcord]

That's a beautiful machine! The cabinet is almost black and I like it. I'd keep that dark patina

[gramophone78]

Very nice. I have owned two mahogany V's. Perhaps it's just a poor pic you posted of the top corner as it appears to show more of an oak grain pattern. Are you certain it's mahogany. There are many Victors made of oak that are so dark they appear to be mahogany. Also, I never seen a "late" model mahogany V with a yielding table. Has anyone else..?.

The late mahogany V (also oak) is offered in a 1917 Victor pamphlet and the case is much larger than the earlier oak only version with a yielding table.

Can you please post better pics..?

Mahogany has a very tight grain. Here is a pics of my corner.

[AmberolaAndy]

Wow! All I have to say is congrats. Hopefully when you work on the motor you don’t mess it up to the point where you have to ship the motor to a professional like I did with my VIII... And you hopefully didn’t pay the king’s ransom eBay usually wants for this model.

[Zwebie]

Hi jmad7474,

This machine is Oak, finished in a very dark color.
Not sure if this was factory or dealer done?
I have seen an Oak Victor III finished in the same way.
Possibly it was done to please a customer?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Victor-5-V-Cus ... 7675.l2557

Enjoy, Victor V's are great machines!

Cheers, Bob S.

[phonojim]

I just took a good look at the pictures in the Ebay listing and I agree that it is oak. Also, there is no research that I know of which indicates that the Vic V was made in mahogany prior to to the Vic VI being discontinued. In any event, that is a great player. I currently own two, one with a spearpoint horn and one with a #24 metal horn. They get the most use of any of my disc machines.

Jim

[JohnM]

Hi all,

I recently found this rare mahogany Victor V through a Kansas online estate auction company listing last week. More accurately, a friend of mine who doesn't collect anything music related stumbled upon the listing for it while looking for old film equipment listings, contacted me right away saying "you should take a look at this, they're selling an 1800s wind-up Victrola with the big horn in front"* and sent me the link for the posting. I made an offer I thought was reasonable for it, and evidently the listing manager approved of my offer since they were kind enough to ship it priority mail to me the same day I bought it!

As you can see, this once-proud unit catering to only the wealthiest of record buyers is rusty, crusty, tired and absolutely filthy. It was delivered to me and unpacked today, and the very first thing I had to do was leave it on my back porch with the window open to let it air out for several hours because it STUNK more than our current President's approval rating! It smelled like mold and dried cat urine (and still does, though not as strongly), and the summer heat concentrating the rancid smell inside the airtight shipping box for a week while it was in transit did not help. Interestingly, the Exhibition reproducer has been recently rebuilt, and there is a dealer's decal in the upper right corner of the motorboard stating it was originally sold through a music company in Philadelphia. (How and why this phonograph traveled from Philly to Kansas I have no clue!)

I'll revive this phonograph as much as I am able, and document all the steps along the way. I have previously restored a Victor 0 that arrived to me completely unusable, and fixed it up into something that looks like it stepped out of a time capsule (true humble bragging). Based on my initial findings of this machine, there is no reason why it can't be saved and given a similar restoration job.

This phonograph also appears to be a very late production model, as indicated by the fact that it has the same "yielding" turntable system which Victor previously reserved for its VI model, production of which ceased in 1915 AFAIK. However, it does not have a semi-automatic brake like the only other mahogany Victor V I've seen had, so the exact year of its manufacture is anyone's guess until I can clean up the ID tag and look at the serial number. I also assume that for the few remaining customers who still wanted an external horn phonograph after WWI but before the Orthophonic era, this was Victor's TOTL model since I am not aware of any special-order Victor VIs made during that same time period.

In prepping this player for upcoming Day One of restoration, I have removed the reproducer, pulled off the old rotten turntable felt, and removed all metal hardware except the winding crank, motorboard hinges, horn, turntable and tonearm/back bracket. I put them in a plastic baggie so they stay together and don't get any other surfaces dirty in the meantime. I plan on cleaning and polishing the small metal components first before working my up to the larger tasks of rejuvenating the cabinet and horn, cleaning and re-lubricating the motor, and then calibrating everything back together so this unit can sing again like it did nearly (over?) a century ago. Using a crappy test record I don't care about (Bing Crosby 78s are good for something after all!), I was able to confirm that the motor does have enough power to be able to make it through at least two sides of a 10" 78 without any noticeable speed fluctuations or thudding/banging, so I know the mainsprings likely won't need any work.

I plan on starting Day One restoration either tomorrow after work (29-July-2020) and/or using the afternoon of 1-Aug-2020 to get it done. Needless to say, if anyone reading this wants to offer me their two cents on how to transform this from a toad into a prince, please don't hesitate to share!

*Not to worry, after thanking him for sending me the listing, I did educate him about how this isn't a Victrola, doesn't have the horn in front of the cabinet, and certainly is not from the 1800s. He then asked if he could come hear it play after I fix it up since he wanted to hear which of my vinyl albums would sound the best on it...

Go to a janitorial supply house and buy a bottle of enzyme odor killer. Works great. May take more than one application. Spray on, let dry.

[gramophone78]

Bob, thanks for posting the listing.
I find the listing to be very misleading by stating "mahogany finish". It is most certainly oak with a "dark brown" finish and at the very least should have been mentioned as such. The seller lists lots of Phonographs and should know the difference in oak and mahogany. $2500 without a horn......WOW!!!!.

[Jerry B.]

I looked all the Ebay photos and, and yes, I agree that it's a very dark oak. I have no doubts. The Ebay listing was very misleading. Unless you physically looked at the machine before purchase you have grounds for a complaint. I do think it's an interesting machine. The finish in places normally not see like the underside of the top board are consistent with a quality job. It would be very interesting to see what is under one of the corner columns. If dark it would strongly suggest a professional job done back in the day.

My two bits worth,

Jerry B.