Victor Victrola Serial Number Lookup

Up for bids is a beautiful tiger oak victor victrola vv-viii a talking machine. Early production. Serial # 009280. Manufactured in 1913. Very good condition to be 108 years old! The vv-viii was in production from 1912-1924. This unit has been in. The Victor-Victrola Page Victor Product Information To determine the date of manufacture and rarity of your Victrola, simply scroll down on the list below and click on the model you are interested in exploring. No names or addresses are necessary, only information relative to your phonograph's serial number, design features, etc.

Victor Victrola Serial Number Lookup Uk
Victor Victrola Serial Number Lookup Free
Victor Victrola Serial Number Lookup Chart

Victor Victrola Serial Number Lookup Uk

NOW that you own a Victrola the whole world ofmusic is open to you. There is no kind of music that you may not hear,at will, for the greatest artists in the world record for the Victrola.Everything is yours from the magnificent pageantry of the grand opera tothe wild swing of the dance. The opera, the oratorio, the gospel hymn,the musical farce, the popular song, the war song, the military march,the symphony - these come to you in your own home. There is no varietyof personal taste and no condition of mind, to which the Victor recordswill not minister.
The instrument itself will not require any greator expert care. It is carefully constructed, and before leaving the factory,it is subjected to the most rigorous tests. The directions in this book,however, should be read and the book itself preserved, in order that youmay become familiar with every part of it.
To obtain the best results, and the unique qualitythat goes only with Victor products, you should use only Victor recordsand the Victrola Tung-stone styli, or Victor steel needles.

PART I - THE VICTROLA AS A MECHANISM

Behind the scenes at the opera; in the consoleof the pipe organ and in the studio of the master are mechanisms essentialto the production of the pageantry; the music or the painting. In the Victrola,likewise, is a mechanism of reproduction - concealed, silent and dependable.To you, as a Victrola owner, an exact scientific knowledge is not necessary.A general understanding may increase your appreciation and enable you toobserve the simple rules for keeping your Victrola in the perfect tunein which it was received.
Mechanically, the Victrola is a device for convertingrecorded sound waves again into sound. The sound waves are recorded ina spiral groove on the face of the disc record.

Reproduction, perfect in every detail, is made at will through the mediumof the needle, the sound box and the amplifier. The needle traces the soundwave spiral on the rotating record, carrying the mica diaphragm of thesound box with it in sympathetic vibration. In turn, the diaphragm causesthe air in the sound box to vibrate, inducing sound waves that are restored,to the quality and approximate volume of the original.
A typical Victrola reproducing and amplifyingmechanism, with the cabinet cut away is shown on Page 3. The spring motorbeneath the turntable is wound with the winding key, either when the instrumentis playing, or silent. On unwinding, the motor rotates the turntable atthe turntable at the constant speed required for perfect reproduction.
The whole mechanism has the simplicity of perfection.Each detail is the result of numberless experiments and tests, certifiedby satisfactory service in the hands of the public. Your Victrola shouldoperate for years without trouble, providing the following simple instructionsare followed, and in the event of trouble after extended service, yourdealer will be able to replace the parts in the original perfect condition.

PART II - SETTING UP

After your Victrola has been unpacked, inaccordance with unpacking instructions, it should be placed in operatingcondition, as follows:
(1) - Unfasten the taper tube by removing thebrace from the end of the sound box crook.
(2) - Swing the taper tube gently back and forth,between its stop limits. It should move freely without friction or binding,so that the needle will be permitted to pass easily over the record. Nextsee that the tube does not rattle on its bearings.

(3) - If the taper tube is tootight, or too loose, proper adjustment can be made after loosening thelock nut and turning set screw, in the top of taper tube support, to theright or left. Turning the set screw to the right tightens the taper tube;to the left loosens the taper tube. After the proper adjustment has beensecured, tighten the lock nut.

Note - On instruments where the lock nutis not used proper adjustment can be made after loosening the set screwholding the pivot in the taper tube support. Pressing the pivot into thetaper tube tightens the tube; drawing it out loosens the tube. After properpivot setting has been secured, tighten the set screw. (Style 50 PortableInstrument). Loosen (but do not remove) the three set screws in the tapertube support to the right or left until the adjustment is right, then tightenthe set screws.

(4) - Next see that the automatic brake yokeis turned to the

right far enough to clear the turntable. Pull the brake lever towardthe front of the cabinet.

(5) - The turntable may now be mounted onthe spindle.

1st - Swing the taper tube to the right asfar as possible, and then holding the turntable in both hands drop it overthe spindle.
2nd - See that slot in the turntable hub dropsover the pin in the spindle.

(6) - Next mount the sound box on the soundbox crook. The small projection on the inside of the sound box is slippedinto the slot in the sound box crook, and is then turned to the right asfar as possible, to lock it in place. The stylus, or needle should restat an angle of about 60° to the surface of the record.

(7) - The winding key may be next insertedin the opening at the right in the cabinet, and the motor wound by turningthe key clockwise. A drop of oil should be placed on the escutcheon beforeinserting the key.

(8) - Wind up the motor by turning the keyslowly. Do not

wind the spring too tightly. Start the motor by pulling the brake levertowards the front of the cabinet.

(9) - Wind the motor and let it run downtwo or three times to assure free working of all parts and re-distributionof lubricant. The turntable should revolve at 78 revolutions per minute,by the speed indicator. The speed of revolution may be checked by placinga piece of white paper under the edge of the record on the turntable, andwhile the sound box and needle are in playing position, note the numberof revolutions per minute. The speed regulating screw may be set to givethe proper speed.

When this has been done on instruments havinga speed indicator, if the indicator hand does not point to 78 on the dial,stop the motor, and remove the turntable. This will allow the motor torun; and while the motor is running slide the dust cap to one side to exposethe hand, insert a small screwdriver in the slot in the end of the shaftto hold it in position,

then carefully move the hand to the right or left until it points to78 on the dial.

(10) - On an instrument having a lid supportof the pneumatic cushion type which permits the lid to drop slowly afterbeing released from the catch, the lid should close quietly, but if itdoes not, the lid support may require adjustment. After removing the motorboard, the adjustment should be made as follows:

1st - If the lid closes with a bump loosenlock nut 'A,' and turn the adjusting screw 'B' to theright until proper cushioning has been secured. Then tighten the lock nut.If, after making the adjustment, the lid fails to operate properly, placea few drops of oil (preferably Neat's-foot) in the top of lid support tube.

2nd - If the lid closes too slowly or doesnot close tightly, first insert a small wire or any small pointed metalimplement into the air vent. This will remove any dirt that may be cloggingthe vent. After cleaning the vent, if proper action is not obtained, proceedas directed in paragraph one, only

turning the adjusting screw to the left. Your Victrola is now ready to play.

PART III - PLAYING YOUR
VICTROLA

(1) - Put the Victrola Tungs-tone stylus,or a new Victor steel needle in the sound box needle arm as far as it willgo and tighten the needle screw firmly. Place the record on the turntable.

(2) - Swing the taper tube toward the centerof the record as far as it will go, and then swing it out far enough toput the stylus or needle on the inner spiral or playing groove on the record.

Note - When playing a record having an eccentricgroove, place the point of the stylus or needle in the eccentric groove,at the number pressed on the record.

Holding the sound box in this position, takehold of the automatic brake knob and swing it towards the front of thecabinet until its arm is brought against the trip rod on the taper tube.

(3) - Now start the motor by bringing thebrake lever towards the front of the cabinet.

(4) - After the turntable has revolved severaltimes, and picked up speed, lower the sound box gently on the smooth outsiderim of the revolving record. Then carefully push the needle into the soundwave groove.

(5) - When it is not desired to use the automaticbrake feature, it may be made inoperative after swinging the taper tubeto the right as far as possible and then swinging the automatic brake knobin to the left until it just clears the turntable. The brake lever maythen be used to start and stop the Victrola at will.

PART IV - CARING FOR
YOUR VICTROLA

Your Victrola will require but little care mechanically. A little lubricationhere and there is all that is required; and this attention is only necessaryat infrequent intervals.

To remove the Motor for lubrication -

(1) - Remove (a) the winding key; (b) turntable;and (c) the motor board screws.

(2) - Next swing the taper tube to the rightas far as possible, pull the brake arm to the left until it clears theback edge of the motor board, then grasp the knob on the front and liftout the motor board.

(3) - Turn the motor over to permit readyinspection and lubrication.

Note - Should it at any time be necessaryto remove the motor from the motor board, be sure to first remove the indicatorhand. To do this, slide the dust cap to one side, remove the dial coverand crystal, unscrew the small nut on the shaft, then lift the spring washerand hand from the shaft.

LUBRICATION

The parts requiring lubrication are shownin the oiling diagram. Before lubricating, wipe off the motor with a

clean cloth dampened with a little kerosene. The proper lubricant requiredfor your Victrola can be secured from any dealer in Victor products, andonly Victor products are recommended.

SOUND BOX

Imperfect Reproduction

(1) - A loose needle is a frequent cause of anoisy sound box, hence if your Victrola reproduces improperly see thatthe needle is securely fastened in its holder.

(2) - If you are using steel needles, put in anew needle after every record. Using a steel needle more than once injuresthe record. The Tungs-tone stylus can be used until the reproduction becomesimperfect. The stylus can be removed from the sound box and re-insertedas desired. With care it should play from 100 to 300 records.

(3) - If a sound box noise should developand if tightening or changing the needle does not eliminate it, and ifthe noise persists with various records, it is possible that the soundbox is injured, or out of adjustment. Take the sound box to a dealer inVictor products for repair.

DO NOT

(1) - Do not poke at the mica diaphragm withyour finger or with a sharp implement. It is tough and durable, but maybe injured through abuse.

(2) - Do not leave the sound box down onthe turntable when your Victrola is not in use. Turn it back onto the soundbox rest.

(3) - Do not drop the sound box onto therecord. When starting to play, lower the sound box gently.

V - CARE OF RECORDS

The records should be kept as free from dustas possible. Gritty dust on the records not only wears out the record rapidly,but causes harsh and unpleasant reproduction. Before playing, it is advisableto brush off the records. A piece of velvet or plush glued to a woodenblock forms an excellent record brush. The records should be kept in theenvelopes in which they are received, or in record albums provided forthe purpose. The paper separators prevent any possibility of injury bycontact between the records. It is also inadvisable to stack the recordsup, one on top of the other without any regard to the sizes. Records shouldbe assorted as to size to be readily accessible. The records should notbe exposed to severe heat, and should be cleaned only by brushing withthe velvet or plush pad as noted. Soap and water or any other cleaningcompound should not be used. If a record becomes cracked or badly scratchedit is best to completely destroy it. Playing a scratched or imperfect recordmay result in injury to the sound box.

VI - THE VICTROLA TUNGS-TONE STYLUS
AND THE VICTOR STEEL NEEDLE

We recommend that in playing your recordsyou always use the Victrola Tungs-tone stylus, because it is the one idealreproducing point. The Tungs-tone stylus employs the metal tungsten, whichis soft and fibrous, not hard and crystalline. The Victory Company controlsby patent, the use of this metal for reproducing points, and

while other points have been made imitating the general form of tungs-tonestyli, they are invariably of some other material. The Tungs-tone stylus,because of its soft texture will not wear out your records. And it doesnot have to be changed for each record. Instead of being tapered the Tungs-tonestylus is cylindrical inn shape, and of the same width as the record groove.As its tip wears down, the stylus will not, therefore, like a tapered point,tend to crowd the sides of the record groove and thus impair the tone ofthe music. Its diameter remains the same from first to last. Each Tungs-tonestylus should play from 100 to 300 records. It is desirable to occasionallygive the stylus a partial turn in the needle arm.

The Victor steel needles are made with theutmost care, and each and every one is polished to a spherical point andfits perfectly in the Victor record grooves.

For perfect reproduction and maximum recordlife we recommend that you use none other than the Victrola Tungs-tonestylus or the Victor steel needle. A new steel needle should be used foreach record, as a steel point wears down during the playing.

IMPORTANT

If any part of your Victrola cannot be placedin perfect condition after following the instructions given in this book,consult a dealer in Victor products.
When returning any part of your Victrola toa dealer in Victor products for repair, give the type and serial numberof the instrument as found on the name plate, and the motor number stampedon the small plate on the motor frame.

This website's intention is solely for educational andpersonal entertainment use only.Though no copyright appears on the originaldocument it would probably be a Bad Idea to reproduce it commercially withoutfirst getting permission from RCA Victor.

Victor, Victrola, Nipper, Red Seal, Orthophonic, 'HisMaster's Voice' and logo contained herein are registered patents,copyrights, trademarks and/or service marks of Victor Talking Machine Company,later known as RCA-Victor Company, and RCA Victor Corporation.

For accurate reproduction I suggest using Netscape andsetting the width of your browser window so that the horizontal scroll bar just barely disappears. I also suggest that you use a serif font like Times or Charter; they're both fairly close to the original font (21 point Bitstream Charter looks best on my 1152x900 Linux system). To see the original pages, have a look here (~210Kb).

This site is maintained by Alex Hajnal

This website's intention is solely for educationaland personal entertainment use only.

Recent Auction Values (click on the images below):

The Victor Victrola Model XVI Phonograph

An upright floor model, the Model XVI was the original internal-horn Victrola; first introduced in 1906, it remained the Victrola flagship model for many years. Although it was originally advertised as “Victrola the Sixteenth” (XVI), the metal identification tag first used a “VTLA” designation.

The first VTLA’s used the mechanics from the deluxe Victor 6 external horn phonograph, along with a flat-lid cabinet design that made access to the turntable rather difficult. In addition, unusual “L” shaped front doors were used to hide the record storage area. These early versions were made for Victor by the Pooley Furniture Company of Philadelphia (using Victor’s mechanics), but production was gradually transferred to Victor’s growing woodworking facilities. A selling price of $200.00 limited sales to relatively wealthy buyers. It is currently unclear as to the serial number of the first true production XVI, but it was likely around no. 100.

During the early months of production, Victor experimented with several designs, including a cabinet called the “Mertz”, which had a very boxy look, but retained the flat-lid. The earliest existent XVI/VTLA currently on record is serial number 406, which is of the Mertz design. In early 1907, the VTLA adopted a domed-lid design, allowing the turntable to sit nearly flush with the top of the cabinet. The “L” shaped storage doors were retained. This design became an immediate hit with the buying public, and became the standard lid configuration for Victrolas for nearly twenty years. Victor and Pooley shared production of these domed-lid models for a few years, and by 1909, Victor’s factory took over all manufacture of Victrola cabinets. The demand for these models exceeded Victor’s wildest dreams, and based on the public’s response, new lower-priced internal-horn models were quickly introduced.

In 1908, Victor introduced a super-deluxe VTLA model, advertised as “Victrola the Twentieth” (although this model was still tagged “VTLA”). This phonograph featured ornate carving (most versions had gold gilding covering the carving as well) and a unique “V” shaped mahogany veneer on the front doors. Selling for a whopping $300.00, this model was too expensive for the buying public, and it was discontinued in 1909. Unfortunately, “XX” production was intermixed with “XVI” models, and there is no unique dataplate identification to differentiate between the deluxe (XX) and standard (XVI) models. Thus, there is no clear way to determine how many XX’s were made. All XX’s have a standard “VTLA” dataplate.

An “A” suffix was added in mid-1909, and the metal tag was changed to indicate “VV-XVI” shortly afterwards. A few months later, the suffix was updated to “B”, and the ornate carving under the lid was removed, and the cabinet was widened slightly. The “Victor-Victrola” label under the lid was also changed at this time, now reading just “Victrola”. The “C” suffix series of early 1910 adopted the “tab” style brake (replacing the earlier bullet brake).

1911 saw the addition of a “D” suffix model, which included some minor changes to the mechanical design; an “E” suffix was added in 1912, wherein the cabinet design was significantly changed. The “L-doors” were eliminated, and the horn opening was widened. In addition, wooden slats were added inside the horn cavity. The crank was moved forward as well.

Victor Victrola Serial Number Lookup Free

An “F” suffix was briefly used in 1913, which replaced the round speed control with the crescent bezel design and used a different style winding key (crank). Before the end of the year, the “F” was replaced with a “G” suffix, that included some additional minor mechanical changes. In early 1914, the “H” suffix was adopted, which replaced the circular speed control with the wide-window speed control/indicator and moved the crank position further back. The rear corner posts of the “H” (and subsequent) series are carved.

The “H” suffix remained until early 1917. At that time, the wide glass speed indicator was replaced with the small glass design, and suffices were dropped from the serial number. At the same time, the XVI adopted the “fat” tone arm, which was a forbearer of the soon-to-be-introduced No. 2 Soundbox.

No further design modifications were made to the XVI until it was discontinued in 1921. The last recorded serial number (from factory records) for the XVI was 197005.

The XVI was the first Victrola to add the electric motor option in 1913 (VE-XVI). Some VE-XVI’s have been found with a suffix letter after the serial number, but the exact design details related to the letters are still unknown. In addition, while factory records indicate that approximately 12,000 VE-XVI’s were made, VE-XVI’s with serial numbers as high as 15,900 have been found, indicating that at least 15,400 were manufactured (assuming a S/N 501 start in 1913). Many feature details and design changes of VE-XVI’s are still unknown. VE-XVI 521 has recently shown up at a phonograph show, and is currently the earliest existent one known.

Victor Victrola Serial Number Lookup Chart

XVI’s were also made in a wide variety of special finishes, including the gold-painted Vernis Martin, Black Lacquer, Ebony, and many more. These machines are quite rare and valued by collectors today. Exact production numbers of these special finishes are still unknown.