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Borgia II / VE 9-2

RARITY: ¤¤¤   VALUE:  ¤¤ 

The Borgia II was the top-of-the line model of Victor's "high end" radio/phono combinations when introduced in early 1926.  It was sometimes denoted as the VE 9-2 in the catalogs, but all dataplates are marked "Borgia II". It featured an RCA-produced Radiola Model 28 radio (RCA's best set) and Victor's premium Orthophonic and Electrola phonograph with a large folded horn of similar dimensions as that used in the famous "Credenza" model.  A small electromagnetic driver was coupled to the neck of the horn, which allowed the radio's output to be heard with excellent volume and fidelity. The user would then switch a large valve to change the horn's input from the radio to the tone-arm when records were played. For record playback, the user of the Borgia II could select either acoustical reproduction or electronic reproduction, as there were two phono pickups attached to the tonearm (picture on right). A large tube amplifer (a very new concept in 1926) provided audio power from the electric pickup to the horn's electromagnetic driver. While the early amplifier provided plenty of volume, they also tended to exhibit considerable "hum", which could be annoying when listening to soft chamber music. In that case, the user could just switch-over to acoustic reproduction, which disabled the amplifer and provided a direct coupling of the horn to the Orthophonic soundbox, thus eliminating the unwanted noise.
All these components were enclosed in a massive walnut cabinet that measured 44" wide and over 45" tall. The Borgia II shared an identical cabinet and appearance with its less-expensive cousin the Borgia I; the primary difference being that the Borgia I offered only acoustic playback of records, while the Borgia II provided a choice of electrical or acoustical reproduction.  The Borgia II also provided an AC Adapter, so that batteries were not required to operate the radio (as was required on the Borgia I).
The Borgia II sold new for $1000.00, which equates to almost $15,000.00 in today's money.  This was the ultimate 'audiophiles dream-machine' of 1926; however the Borgia quickly became obsolete with the introduction of the vastly improved performance of paper-cone speakers in 1927. The VV 8-60 model was the 'little brother' version of the Borgia II, as it shared the dual-playback capability for records, but did not have a radio.
While few have survived, the imposing size and cost of restoration of these early and complex models limits the interest of most collectors in the current market.  Rebuilding of the amplifier alone can cost well over $500.00.
Given the high cost when new, a surprising total of approximately 2,500 Borgia II's were produced, and all were manufactured during 1926. It remained available at dealers well into 1927, and was likely being discounted by that time.

The current survival database shows the earliest existent Borgia II to be S/N 589 and the latest to be S/N 2278.    

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