The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have a Pooley VTLA cabinet that was missing the motor with motorboard, drawer and horn. The proper motor is a hard to find, early, nickel plated, three spring with beveled gears. One was coming up at Stanton’s, so I bid fairly high, but it sold for $950.00, before the buyer’s premium and shipping. Two days before the auction, I found what I assumed was a rough Victor D on Facebook Marketplace. I couldn’t tell much about the condition from the pictures, but I figured that I could use the motor and recoup as much as I could by selling what was left, including a spear point horn in unknown condition. As soon as I saw the machine in person, I realized that I still needed a motor for the Pooley. So now I have a Victor D that I wasn’t looking for and a Pooley VTLA in need of a motor. I’m not complaining. There is no way that this Victor D is getting parted out.

I still have to do a little more cleaning, some minor repairs on the horn and service the motor. I also have to get a cellular shade for that window.

Very nice D. That is my favorite Victor. What is the serial number on yours?

Regardless of rarity or value, I would take the elegant Victor D over the ugly Pooley any day.
Musically the Victor's external horn should also outperform the boxy internal horn of the Pooley.

Phono-Phan wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 10:17 am Very nice D. That is my favorite Victor. What is the serial number on yours?

Thanks. It’s #4552, so I am thinking 1905. I was surprised by the condition when I got there. Twelve hours of driving, and worth every second. The price was about the value of a good spear point horn. Sometimes it all works out.

epigramophone wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 11:12 am Regardless of rarity or value, I would take the elegant Victor D over the ugly Pooley any day.
Musically the Victor's external horn should also outperform the boxy internal horn of the Pooley.

It’s a little ironic that the Pooley VTLA was conceived because the affluent consumer of that time had the opposite opinion. Personally, I like the Pooley VTLA. Tastes and styles change all the time. Fortunately for me, I like and have both.

If I hadn’t been looking for a motor for my VTLA, I would have passed this one along in the eBay-Craigslist section of the forum, but because I was in need of a motor, I sent a full price offer as soon as I read the ad. She received multiple offers after mine, but she was ethical and honored our deal. I was fortunate in that she had posted it just minutes before I saw it on Facebook Marketplace.

Didn't someone point out a motor on Craigslist that you could use in your Pooley? Did that not work out?

JerryVan wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 12:42 pm Didn't someone point out a motor on Craigslist that you could use in your Pooley? Did that not work out?

I contacted the person, (I didn’t know about the motor until after I bought the Victor D). He agreed to sell it to me. I never count my chickens before they hatch, but I am hopeful.

Very nice! Where did you have to drive to get it?

It was near Trenton NJ. The seller said that it had been in the family all her life. The history was unknown. Since it was built in NJ, this may be it’s first time out of state.

I was a little disappointed that it was so nice because then I had to make an obvious decision. My disappointment faded quickly.