The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I found this machine on Marketplace, four hours away. Except for the gash on the front, below the lid, it is in excellent condition. The couple had received it from his mother and no one in the family wanted it, so they offered it. I will keep it in the room that we are finishing and separate from my VV-XVIII that was also found on Facebook Marketplace.

Nice find... their loss, your gain.

CONGRATULATIONS !! I genuinely hope that it contains albums of records that were owned by the same family !! That happens so rarely anymore.

Thanks. I have had very good fortune on Facebook Marketplace.

This machine has some interesting carvings in the area where the escutcheon would be on a VV-XVIII. They are on both sides and are mirror images of each other. I don’t see them on other VE-XVIII machines that I searched for.

I did find a YouTube video with a VE-XVIII that appears to have those carvings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTJguqyMHcQ. That machine is s/n 1064 and mine is s/n 865. I think that the added carvings are from the factory, but maybe an option, (because the cabinet was too plain without them).

Django wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 7:39 pm ... mine is s/n 865. I think that the added carvings are from the factory, but maybe an option, (because the cabinet was too plain without them).

Look on the inside, is there a hole for a crank? They may have just used that stock and covered the hole.

James.

PS: Nice find ... looks great as is!

Roaring20s wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:17 pm

Django wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 7:39 pm ... mine is s/n 865. I think that the added carvings are from the factory, but maybe an option, (because the cabinet was too plain without them).

Look on the inside, is there a hole for a crank? They may have just used that stock and covered the hole.

James.

PS: Nice find ... looks great as is!

Good thinking. You are right. I raised the motor board and found the hole. They must have repurposed existing VV cabinets as VE machines. The VV machines also have the rear doors that would house the electronics. Because of the low volume, they probably standardized the cabinet at some time in production so that they could make whatever was ordered.

My VE XVIII #1137 has the same embellishment. I suspect all electric XVIIIs had the same trim to hide where the crank escutcheon would be on a spring driven version. Lovely machines!

Jerry B.

My VIII was acquired through Facebook Marketplace. Fully rebuilt reproducer, serviced and lubed motor, and beautiful original finish, for about half of what my local antique shop wants for a pile of rubble. And no shipping involved. There truly is a great market outside of eBay.

Jerry B. wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:52 pm My VE XVIII #1137 has the same embellishment. I suspect all electric XVIIIs had the same trim to hide where the crank escutcheon would be on a spring driven version. Lovely machines!

Jerry B.

My VE-XVIII does not have the extra filigree piece--- I suspect some "crank" cabinets were repurposed for electrics-- but some, like mine, were were built specifically as a VE machine.

Brad Abell

outune wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 9:11 am

Jerry B. wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:52 pm My VE XVIII #1137 has the same embellishment. I suspect all electric XVIIIs had the same trim to hide where the crank escutcheon would be on a spring driven version. Lovely machines!

Jerry B.

My VE-XVIII does not have the extra filigree piece--- I suspect some "crank" cabinets were repurposed for electrics-- but some, like mine, were were built specifically as a VE machine.

Brad AbellDSCN3216.JPGDSCN3208.JPGDSCN3139.JPG

Brad, that machine of yours is about as nice as it gets, at least in my opinion. What is your serial number?

I suspect that the consolidation of the cabinets was probably not done in the beginning, but rather when Victor found that these high end machines were not flying out of stores.