A question about VV-XVI needle cups

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FloridaClay
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A question about VV-XVI needle cups

Post by FloridaClay »

Hello all,

I picked up a fairly late (Type J) mahogony VV-XVI at a local garage sale, probably 1919 from the serial number. It was $250 and in farily decent shape. How could I say no.

It is missing its needle cup(s). The wooden needle cup side bar has 5 storage spaces. I know that what goes in the large center hole is a gold-plated metal cup with a cap with a hole in the center that provides a place for used needles. I know what to get for that. The one out of my VV 9-15 is a perfect fit, so it is the late XVI type.

There are 2 cup-shaped spaces carved in the wood on each side of the hole in the middle where the used needle cup goes--one the same diameter as the hole in the center and one with a much smaller diameter. Did either of these originally have metal liners?

As to their purpose, the larger side ones would be for storing new needles of different tone (loud and soft, for example), but what were the 2 small ones for?

Clay
Last edited by FloridaClay on Sat Nov 12, 2011 6:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
Arthur W. J. G. Ord-Hume's Laws of Collecting
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2. Shortage of finance, however dire, will never prevent the acquisition of a desired object, however improbable its cost.

Jerry B.
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Re: A question about VV-XVI needle cups

Post by Jerry B. »

My original response was based on my poor reading of the question and I gave a stupid answer. After really reading the question about the little cups, I'd like to know the answer also. Jerry B.

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Zeppy
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Re: A question about VV-XVI needle cups

Post by Zeppy »

There are no metal liners for the two needle cups.

As for the two small "cups"...if you look at the back of the machine, you will see two wooden buttons, probably just below where the horn area. Behind these two buttons is where the cabinet was screwed to the shipping create to keep it from shifting. The two wooden buttons were shipped in those two smaller "cups" on the needle tray. So once someone unpakced their Victrola, they popped the plugs out of the needle tray, and used them to cover the wholes where the Victrola was screwed to the shipping crate.

Jerry B.
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Re: A question about VV-XVI needle cups

Post by Jerry B. »

I had noticed that the little wood buttons fit nicely in the little cups in the needle holder. Thanks for the explanation. Jerry

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FloridaClay
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Re: A question about VV-XVI needle cups

Post by FloridaClay »

Thank you Zeppy! Not something I would have figured out intuitively.

Clay
Arthur W. J. G. Ord-Hume's Laws of Collecting
1. Space will expand to accommodate an infinite number of possessions, regardless of their size.
2. Shortage of finance, however dire, will never prevent the acquisition of a desired object, however improbable its cost.

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Zeppy
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Location: Gaithersburg, MD

Re: A question about VV-XVI needle cups

Post by Zeppy »

FloridaClay wrote:Thank you Zeppy! Not something I would have figured out intuitively.

Clay
Neither would have I....that's when the original instruction manual comes into play.

:)

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