The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

a lot of machines from this seller seem to get reposted fairly often, and the prices really seem to shift as well, both up and down... I think this XX was offered for 10k, maybe less at one point, 12 at another, now it's up to 14?

http://cgi.ebay.com/VICTOR-VICTROLA-XX- ... 2561f93f5f

a lot of his machines are pretty rare and in phenomenal condition, but the prices always seem on the high end to say the least. I wonder about dealers like this, because I can think of a few... are they really looking to sell? or are these more like collections, with the actual sales being something they can really just take or leave?

This is a dealer who has a wide variety of great stuff, but is always very, very high.

Clay

His stuff is great but often to my mind excessively polished and restored. He's not selling to machine collectors he's selling to art object collectors. The person who buys this XX will seldom if ever play a record on it.

Wow that "buy it now price" has to be a "pie in the sky figure". Good luck, selling it for that amount !!

If I had that much money to blow on a luxury item, I wouldn't buy this. Don't misunderstand, it would be great to have one of these, but I'd pretty much have to find it for $10 at a garage sale ( ), and even then, I know I would just wind up telling the seller that I couldn't take advantage of him (or her) that way (sigh).

Too nice for my collection / household...

Wonder if this piece has been restored ?

It does appear to be a very early example of the XX: "VTLA" for the model code, and the "Victor-Victrola" decal on the inside of the lid.

Exquisite machine... but five figures ?

now an opera, granted, a very nice one, in oak with oak cygnet horn and a really nice cylinder cabinet, but... $12,000?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTIQUE-EDISON-OPER ... 256225bd6e

The Victrola XX is no longer for sale.
I would guess that would mean that it sold!

Skihawx wrote:The Victrola XX is no longer for sale.
I would guess that would mean that it sold!

It just says it is no longer for sale, that could mean he just pulled it and didn't relist it because he couldn't get his price.

if that is the case, who would be surprised?

I was checking this site for some information on a Sonora Supreme and came across this topic about my Victor XX. I was the seller of the phonograph and it indeed has been sold. This was a fine piece that was restored by Bob Johnson and graced my house for several years. I maintain the world's largest website of antique music boxes available for sale, all of which are proudly displayed in my home. Antique phonographs, while not my specialty, are certainly related to their predecessors and are part of the overall genre for those who have an interest in mechanical music. Thus, I maintain a nice collection of quality pieces, with Edison Operas, Columbias, Reginaphones and high-end Victors usually well represented. Acquiring top-quality pieces always comes at a premium, and I have made it a point to collect and resell only antiques that will be showcased in my home and will be a proud addition to somebody else's as well. There are dealers that will buy & sell anything of any quality, it is just "stuff" to them. Not so for me, my family lives and breathes with them and no sub-quality, run-of-the-mill items are to be found. It may surprise the collectors who frequent this forum, but I have opened the field of interest in collecting antique music boxes and phonographs to many, many people over the years. In some cases these folks are well-off, and would not think of placing a dirty, scratched up Edison Triumph with a dented horn in their home, now matter how "original" it may be. Other clients are simply novices, who want a machine that is thoroughly reliable, and with a dealer who will assist them through any future repairs or servicing. You can't get that from an attic seller. Most of my customers are repeat ones; they appreciate the quality and trust me to guide them in their next purchase, as well as to properly ship across oceans and continents.
So, before you learned gentlemen are too quick to criticize my "high" prices, be aware that there are more aspects to the equation than the bottom-line price, and not everybody uses the same criteria to arrive at a value judgment for purchasing an antique phonograph.
Please visit my website at www.musicaltreasuresofmiami.com to see what I am talking about.