An interesting Victrola XVI

[Jerry B.]

About fifteen years ago I received a call from a friend and fellow collector. He offered me a mahogany Victrola XVI. I was about to respectfully decline and he mentioned that someone scratched their name in the finish. I wondered why someone would allow anyone to scratch anything into the finish. That peaked my interest so I went to take a look. Upon inspection, I found an autographed Victrola signed by Louisa Tetrazzini. It reads "Souvenir from Louisa Tetrazzini, April 1921". I knew that Tetrazzini was a Red Seal Victor opera star so I had to have the machine. It started a collection within a collection that includes posters, photos, post cards, and even her cook book. Jerry Blais

[alang]

How cool is that!
Congratulations
Andreas

[Jerry B.]

I don't know if there are quite a few of these around but I know of one other and it's a XVII. I there are two, there's probably a few more.

I had the romantic notion that Tetrazzini was in Portland for a performance and was befriended by a wealthy Portlander. As a courtesy, she autographed their Victrola. I believed in this possibility until I was offered and purchased a Victrola XVII with the same autograph and date. I had to rethink the origin of the autograph and suspect that she was part of a promotion with a Victrola dealer. Perhaps anyone that purchased a Victrola was offered a complimentary autograph. The condition of the XVII was not a good as the XVI so I sold the XVII to another collector. Jerry Blais

[estott]

I've seen a few pianos around with musicians autographs on the plate- the best being a Steinway concert grand with Paderewski's signature.

[bbphonoguy]

Gosh. I wouldn't say that her name is scratched in the finish, rather that it's beautifully engraved. What an attractive piece of "graffiti".

[OrthoFan]

From the sublime.....


.....to the ridiculous .....


http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/5832653

Les Paul Autographed Crap-O-Phone:

[AZ*]

It ain't over 'til the fat lady signs the Victrola.