The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I guess if you want something on ebay you always have to ask for a buy it now.
Would have looked nice on my painted VV-130.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Thomas-Edis ... 25603478e7[

I would have paid $75.00 for it in a heartbeat. Would have like to have been able to bid on it.

It's for one of those rare Edison Victrolas!

Mr. Victor's wife Karen wears one on a necklace.

On a serious note, was this indeed a Victrola key? and if so, to what model? It is quite ornate.

SignatureSeriesOwner wrote:On a serious note, was this indeed a Victrola key? and if so, to what model? It is quite ornate.

Yes, for one of the higher end models.

see:

http://www.oldcrank.com/articles/keys/keys.html

AZ* wrote:

SignatureSeriesOwner wrote:On a serious note, was this indeed a Victrola key? and if so, to what model? It is quite ornate.

This key was included with the VV-330 and also the Japanese Lacquered
VV-130. Maybe even the VV-230. All the "Period" models had unique
keys too.

Ah, good. Thank you both for the clarification.

I was actually bidding on that key. I almost debated emailing the seller to tell him he got ripped off (I too would have been willing to spend more than $75 for that key). You would think a little bit of common sense would tell the seller if it's really a fair price, bid it, and you should win.

Can anyone say if it was documented for certain that the Japanese VV-130s came with that key? Mine came out of the original owner's estate and had the standard gold "V" key with it. I highly doubt it had been switched, especially since everything else was with it (complete set of custom albums, records, duster, etc). They even had an earlier VV-XVI (the model just after the L-door version) that had likely been their first machine in the house, it too had a regular gold "V" key, which I know was standard with that model. They replaced their Japanese lacquer VV-130 later on with a Spartan 101, which was also at the auction. These folks had money back in the day, they owned a glove factory....

Sean

Skihawx wrote:

AZ* wrote:

SignatureSeriesOwner wrote:On a serious note, was this indeed a Victrola key? and if so, to what model? It is quite ornate.

This key was included with the VV-330 and also the Japanese Lacquered
VV-130. Maybe even the VV-230. All the "Period" models had unique
keys too.

Yes, it was included with the VV230. I bought one that came with the key in it.

The guy selling the key was new to ebay. He realized that he made
a mistake and didn't know. I am not one to ask for someone to end
an auction early but when I was selling stuff I got the request all the
time.

I don't know why I believe that was the key used on the JL 130.

Back in the early 80's I worked in a small TV sales and service shop. If someone wanted a different remote with a set we would sometimes give them what they wanted to make the sale. The next person to buy the set never knew it was supposed to have a differnt remote. I could see someone liking the key and keeping it or putting it with a diffent machine before it left the store. I have a feeling that the more expensive machines may have sat around for a while before they were sold. I know one of the art case models was sold in 1926. The guy had the reciept. There is a possiblility that it was not new. I know the price was really cheap. Just a little more than a credenza in the hight three hundreds. That customer wanted a really fancy cabinet more than the orhophonic sound. My guess is that your JL 130 left the store with the standard key.