VTLA, beat 1909, for a near pittance

[dennman6]

A friend from work who knows of my interest in the hobby came across the following for me. He had previously sold me an Outing console for $35. He paid $40 for this, but profiteer that he is, sold it to me for $65. As far as I can surmise via the Victor-Victrola page it's a 1909 model. Serial number is 12067A. Sticker inside has a date of February 1, 1908. It needs a needle cup, reattach the lid support, a winding key, lid key, & a whole lot of cleaning. I'm sure the Exhibition doesn't belong on it, but at least it's period appropriate. Any thoughts on where I should start with this one?

[dennman6]

And here are a few more, as I hit the limit of ten images in the last post.

[phonophan79]

Congrats, nice buy. ...even nicer friend!

[alang]

Congratulations, that's a great friend to have. I would start simply with a proper cleaning with Kotton Kleanser or GoJo or GooP, then Kotton Kleanser Protective Wood Feeder. Next clean and re-grease motor and springs, then try to get the few missing parts. Probably exchange the Exhibition reproducer against a golden one. It should already look great at that point. Then I would take a closer look and evaluate what - if anything at all from the cabinet needs to be changed or fixed.
Andreas

[estott]

I am puzzled at the term "Outing Console". The Outing company sold at least three styles of portable (with variations)during it's existence, but ONLY portables. Sometimes their soundboxes (marked "Master of Movable Music") do get onto the wrong machine- a museum site online has what it calls an Outing, it's actually a Klingsor with an Outing soundbox.

[Sidewinder]

Congratulations, that's a great friend to have. I would start simply with a proper cleaning with Kotton Kleanser or GoJo or GooP, then Kotton Kleanser Protective Wood Feeder. Next clean and re-grease motor and springs, then try to get the few missing parts. Probably exchange the Exhibition reproducer against a golden one. It should already look great at that point. Then I would take a closer look and evaluate what - if anything at all from the cabinet needs to be changed or fixed.
Andreas

Yes, exactly what I would do.

and if your friend needs any more friends, I'd be happy with some friends like him!
Congratulations great machine!

[dennman6]

I am puzzled at the term "Outing Console". The Outing company sold at least three styles of portable (with variations)during it's existence, but ONLY portables. Sometimes their soundboxes (marked "Master of Movable Music") do get onto the wrong machine- a museum site online has what it calls an Outing, it's actually a Klingsor with an Outing soundbox.

Estott, the same guy who found this VTLA for me also found this Outing "console" as well. I put this on the forum last Nov.21. Here are a few of those pics. I had never heard of the brand, but surmised it may have been a portable shoved into a cabinet-which is what Gramophoneshane thought also. I know plenty about Victrolas, something about Columbias & Brunswicks & Starrs, & hardly enough about all the little brands.

[dennman6]

Congrats, nice buy. ...even nicer friend!

Yes, Phonophan, he's a good guy & keeps his eyes open for me whenever he goes to antique malls, flea markets, & garage sales. He has been a bicycle collector himself, but I managed to get him interested enough in the phono stuff that he now has a Victor VV-XI in a dark "fumed oak", a Columbia Grafonola in mahogany, & a Brunswick in oak-all under $200! The VTLA I posted about was in a storage barn behind a little "mom & pop" flea market, minus the "mom". The man's wife had died a few years before, & he(now in his early 80s)wants to downsize. The VTLA was sitting in the back with other things piled on top of it, & since it had no crank(winding key), missing a cabinet knob, etc. the figured it was a hassle to get it running & he wanted it out of there. I consider myself lucky, & it will be a great satisfaction for me to get things going on this old beauty.

[estott]

YES! I remember that console, and it IS the guts of a portable in another case.

[dennman6]

"Yes, exactly what I would do.

and if your friend needs any more friends, I'd be happy with some friends like him!
Congratulations great machine!"

Thanks, Sidewinder. My friend Rick is mostly a vintage bicyle guy, & won't get any phonos unless they're in functional, working order when he sees 'em. He doesn't do any phono restoration at all. My brother & I hauled about 2,000 78s down from a collector who was downsizing his shellac stash, & I plan to give Rick the duplicates there are of any 1920s pop songs & dance bands. He found he likes that era! About 3 years ago he turned down what I think from his description was a Victor Monarch with a dented horn for $300. This was an early Saturday morning at an open air flea market in Bargersville, IN. When I told him they're in the $1,000+ range when restored, he just shook his head. From that day on he's had my cellphone number