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VV-220 / VE-220

RARITY: ¤¤   VALUE:  ¤ 

The VV-220 was a flat-top console phonograph, positioned in the 'upper-middle' price range. Its introduction in the spring of 1923 was concurrent with the reorganizing of the entire Victrola product line. These new models used conventional number designations rather than the previous Roman numerals, but they were essentially the same products that had been offered for more than 10 years prior, many with newly-designed cabinets. The resounding success of the flat-top VV-210 console (which had been introduced a few months earlier) motivated Victor to launch several upscale versions of the popular flat-top cabinet design, which included the VV-220.
The 220 was a significant step-up from the basic VV-210 and VV-215. The 220 featured gold-plated hardware, a larger cabinet (and record storage area) as well as small hand-carved trim details on top of the corner posts; however it shared the basic 2-spring motor with the lower-priced machines. VV-220 models were produced in a choice of a mahogany, walnut or oak veneer.  The original 1922 selling price of the VV-220 was $200.00, which equates to over $3,000.00 in today's money. Based on factory documentation, a total of approximately 24,000 Victrola 220 machines were produced.
Unlike the VV-210 and 215, the VV-220 did not sell particularly well. By the early 1920s, the novelty of phonographs was fading. The buying public now viewed these machines as basic commodities, and interest in elegant higher-priced models had fallen significantly. In addition, many competitive brands were now selling very nice phonographs at prices far below what Victor could offer.
Victor ultimately produced more of these models than could be sold at list price. Due to this overproduction, it is quite likely that many VV-220 models were sold during Victor's well-advertised "half-price" sale during the summer of 1925. Production of the VV-220 was terminated in in early 1924; however, since so many remained in storage, it continued to be listed in both the 1924 and 1925 Victrola catalogs.
Electric versions (VE) of the 220 were produced in late 1923, but this was not a popular choice; only about 600 electric VE-220 models were made. The addition of the electric motor added $40.00 to the list price. For more information on Victor's financial crisis of 1924-1925 and the overproduction of phonographs, please click here.
In general, collector interest in the 220 (and many similar flat-top console Victrola models) is very weak today. The minimal ornamentation and 'mass production' designs of these later-vintage Victrolas provide (in the view of many) a far less appealing package than can be found in some of the earlier upright models. 

The survival database currently shows the earliest existent VV-220 to be S/N 568 and the latest to be S/N 23610
The earliest logged VE-220 survivor is S/N 540 and the latest is S/N 1089

Do you own a Victrola VV-220? Please take a moment and enter some basic information about your machine into the collector's database by clicking here. No personal information is required.