The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hey everyone,

I am curious to hear opinions on this. I recently moved my triumph and full barrel over to a spot in my apartment where it would get more natural light. But this spot also gets direct sunlight for about an hour or so when the sun sets.

It’s possible the little wrinkles in the decal were there before, but I didn’t notice them. I moved the triumph back to where it was before just in case… but do you think the setting sun is damaging the decal? I spent a lot of time on this refinish, so to see the decal be a little messed up is upsetting. I like the triumph there, but if the sun is going to damage it, then it won’t be moving back.

(You might need to click on the image to see what I am talking about)

Thanks,

David

Sunlight is really destructive and will do things like that. I refinished an Opera horn for someone 20 odd years ago now and I accidentally let sunlight get on it for about 20 minutes a few weeks after I got done finishing it and the finish all blistered up from the heat. It might have been ok with that 6-8 months down the road, but the heat and light is really hard on finishes. Fading is another problem of course and florescent light is really bad for that and maybe worse than sunlight is. I knew a guy that put those screw in florescent bulbs in a coin operated piano that he left the two lights on inside the case to light up the glass and after 2-3 years they bleached the color out of the wood on the inside of the case! He told me that really learned something there as he had a couple of 25 watt regular bulbs in there for 30 or so years before that and they didn't do that! You have a really nice looking set-up there.

When I was a teenager back around 2001 or so, the first external horn machine I ever purchased was a Harmony Front Mount Phonograph, the one with the pretty blue horn. So, I proudly put it right in front of my bedroom window [Christmas Story, anyone?? LOL]. Well, I moved it a little while later and was embarrassed to see the bright blue horn was NOT nearly as bright anymore on the side that was facing the window/sun. To this day, that phonograph is in my collection. And, I am still embarrassed that one side is not nearly as "blue" as the other..... Actually it is really obvious. Darn!

I learned to keep 'em away from those windows and that bright sun!

Ok well the triumph will not be moving back to that spot.

I love this apartment, but the lighting sucks. So it's sorta hard to appreciate the grain on the cabinet when its sitting in a dark corner of the room.

Cheers,

David