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Happy Victor Day!

In honor of the Centennial of Victor Day and the introduction of the Orthophonic Victrolas Bob Barnett and I paid a visit to the Johnson Victrola Museum in Dover, Delaware. Dover was the boyhood home of Victor’s founder Eldridge Johnson as many of you know. Johnson’s descendants built the museum and furnished it with many items from VTMCo and Johnson’s personal life. In about 1999 a significant display was added on the second floor when the museum acquired the collection of Dr Heiges. In the attached photos and videos the second floor features many great machines including the only known Vernis Martin Bombé art case Victrola. The museum is free and worth a visit if you are in the area. The videos are the last two files in the DropBox link. There is no audio other than background chatter by other visitors.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/lmk2oy7f ... ijw4s&dl=0

Mark

Actually, the correct term is bombé, not “Bombay”. Bombé is a French cabinetmaking term meaning ‘bombed’ or ‘exploded’ to describe the swollen cabinets, as if a bomb had gone off within. ‘Bombay’ is a city in India, now called Mumbai. Both bombé and Bombay are pronounced the same, and this often results in confusion.

I haven’t been to the Johnson Victrola Museum in about 22 years. Would love to visit again sometime.

Thank you John for your clarification on Bombay!

Stan Stanford and I visited a number of years ago as a side trip from the Wayne Show. When the folks at the museum found out we were phono nerds we were treated like royalty. I highly recommend a visit and look forward to my next.

Jerry B.

John, thanks for your clarification, I made the edit to bombé. It is curious the only comment made was about my spelling and not about the artifact itself or about the passing of Victor Day. Perhaps there is little collector interest in history.

Now if we can just start using the right terminology for parts in the machines. VIctor did not make reproducers or isolators, they made soundboxes and insulators.

I hope some of you can visit the museum some time, it is worth a trip.

Mark

Thanks for sharing the Victor Day history. We have been to the museum and enjoyed the visit.
Don

MarkELynch wrote: Mon Nov 03, 2025 2:30 pm John, thanks for your clarification, I made the edit to bombé. It is curious the only comment made was about my spelling and not about the artifact itself or about the passing of Victor Day. Perhaps there is little collector interest in history.

Mark

Well, we all have our hobbies...

Honestly, Mark, I was hoping that I might see some photos of your visit to the museum. I only now see the Dropbox link, which I missed the first time! I'll check that out momentarily. Right now my mind is filled with images of bombe's, Bombays & bomb bays.

(I don't know how to make the accent mark over the "e"... The shame...)


I was very surprised to see the non-victor items in the collection!

I didn't realize I totally forgot until today...OY!