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NEW TOY
Sept 9, 2007 19:02:20 GMT -5
Post by Matt Brown on Sept 9, 2007 19:02:20 GMT -5
Over the last few years I sold off all of my own personal Victor Victrolas - most because I either wanted to or we didn't have the room for them; some because we needed the money. I do still have a few here, mind you, but they are for sale, or in various states of restoration. I've been keeping an eye out for a Victrola to add to my own collection, and this past week I found one. Saw an ad for it on Craigs List, contacted the seller, and on Saturday I went (to CT!) to pick it up. It's an EARLY VV-XIV (serial #8089) in mahogany - I have always found these to be eye-catching machines, and when I saw this one for sale I knew I wanted it. Excellent buying experience, as the seller was extremely nice; originally advertised at $xxxx, I ended up paying $xxxx for it, which is think is MORE than fair for such a beautiful machine. 100% original, right down to the original turntable felt and key. In EXCELLENT condition, as you can see - runs smooth and quiet - VV Exhibition reproducer rebuilt and tuned last night - sounds just wonderful. I couldn't be happier with this purchase. Hoping to move it into my new "phono room" either later tonight or tomorrow. Photos below for your enjoyment. (Pardon the mess in my shop. FYI - standing directly behind this EARLY VV-XIV is one of the LATE VV-XIV's; also a wonderful machine, and it's for sale, too!) Matt www.misterphonograph.com/images/earlyVVXIV/open top.jpg[/img] www.misterphonograph.com/images/earlyVVXIV/under lid.jpg[/img] www.misterphonograph.com/images/earlyVVXIV/left side.jpg[/img] www.misterphonograph.com/images/earlyVVXIV/right side.jpg[/img]
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NEW TOY
Sept 9, 2007 19:50:57 GMT -5
Post by condensite on Sept 9, 2007 19:50:57 GMT -5
Nice looking machine, Matt! I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I haven't used Craigslist much..maybe you have pointers on how to sort through the entries to find items within travelling distance of where you live. Thanks. Condensite
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NEW TOY
Sept 9, 2007 21:22:24 GMT -5
Post by rocky on Sept 9, 2007 21:22:24 GMT -5
Beautiful machine! I'm sure you'll get lots of listening pleasure out of it!
Rocky
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NEW TOY
Sept 9, 2007 21:37:48 GMT -5
Post by maroongem on Sept 9, 2007 21:37:48 GMT -5
Matt,
That's a corker!!! The grain just jumps out at you!!! Well done!
Bill
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NEW TOY
Sept 10, 2007 0:06:40 GMT -5
Post by neophone on Sept 10, 2007 0:06:40 GMT -5
Matt,
Congratulations! A fantastic find. I know you'll enjoy it immensely! It's certainly in excellent condition.
Regards, J.
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NEW TOY
Sept 10, 2007 4:47:58 GMT -5
Post by gramophoneshane on Sept 10, 2007 4:47:58 GMT -5
You'd be hard up finding one in better condition. Congratulations Matt.
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ultona
Full Member
It's Not Easy Bein' Green
Posts: 164
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NEW TOY
Sept 10, 2007 7:38:33 GMT -5
Post by ultona on Sept 10, 2007 7:38:33 GMT -5
Very nice, Matt!
I have one in oak and in equally nice condition. Mine is serial #700! It's one of my favorite machines. And don't you just love the lid that seems to weigh like 40 pounds?
Sean
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NEW TOY
Sept 10, 2007 9:41:38 GMT -5
Post by Matt Brown on Sept 10, 2007 9:41:38 GMT -5
OOOOOOOh - OAK!
Can we see some pics? Bet that's a pretty one.
Wanna trade?
Matt
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ultona
Full Member
It's Not Easy Bein' Green
Posts: 164
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NEW TOY
Sept 10, 2007 9:49:43 GMT -5
Post by ultona on Sept 10, 2007 9:49:43 GMT -5
Well, this one I happen to have in my computer here at work, gives you an idea! Anyway, this one's in gorgeous original condition too. I got a call from a local antque dealer about this one, it was literally down the street from my house! Sean **Edit - when I get home from work later today, I'll take some more pics of my XIV and post them!***
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NEW TOY
Sept 10, 2007 14:28:55 GMT -5
Post by Matt Brown on Sept 10, 2007 14:28:55 GMT -5
Beautiful - love that oak! What time should I bring my mahogany one over to trade?
Matt
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ultona
Full Member
It's Not Easy Bein' Green
Posts: 164
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NEW TOY
Sept 10, 2007 16:18:36 GMT -5
Post by ultona on Sept 10, 2007 16:18:36 GMT -5
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NEW TOY
Sept 10, 2007 16:57:28 GMT -5
Post by Matt Brown on Sept 10, 2007 16:57:28 GMT -5
Absolutely beautiful! Thanks for sharing. Now seriously, what time should I bring mine over so we can trade? Matt
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NEW TOY
Sept 10, 2007 23:24:00 GMT -5
Post by gramophoneshane on Sept 10, 2007 23:24:00 GMT -5
Just a silly question- Are mahogany Victor uprights more common than oak generally in the US, or is it just certain models that few oak cases were made for? I don't know about the UK, but out here, the oak version of anything is more common than mahogany. Not only HMV's, but many machines made here still used either english or american oak for the cabinets. Of those offered in both timbers, the mahogany version was always more expensive, and of coarse, sold in much lower numbers. I would have thought the same would be true of US machines, especially as the majority of US manufactured furniture at the time was oak.
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NEW TOY
Sept 11, 2007 0:39:36 GMT -5
Post by maroongem on Sept 11, 2007 0:39:36 GMT -5
Shane,
In my experience, the upright mahoganies are more common here. It seems that oak had fallen out of favor and the furniture was going towards the darker woods such as mahogany and walnut.
Bill
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NEW TOY
Sept 11, 2007 4:01:22 GMT -5
Post by steve432 on Sept 11, 2007 4:01:22 GMT -5
Shane, the UK is identical to the way you have described the market there in Australia. Here, the extant mahogany variants are always in far smaller numbers than their oak counterparts as they were usually much more expensive to begin with.
During the Edwardian period, the general move (furniture wise) was toward oak as the English were tiring of mahogany which had been extremely popular during the Victorian period. The fashion for oak tied in nicely with the popular advent of the commercial gramophone. Consider the pricing structure too, it is not surprising then that most people chose an oak machine.
Curiously, mahogany never "came back" either as oak was still used for utilitarian furniture etc into the 1930's / 40's. After that, everything went over to chipboard, laminates and garish colours!
Mahogany furniture is popular with people today buying reproduction antiques though.
Over here when people think about quality mahogany furniture, they are usually thinking about real antiques from the Sheraton or Chippendale periods.
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