The Victor-Victrola Page
VV
15-1 / Hyperion
RARITY: ¤¤¤ VALUE: ¤¤¤
When
introduced in early 1926, the Hyperion (also referred to as the VE 15-1
in advertising catalogs) was Victor's high-end "entertainment center". The
Hyperion included an RCA Radiola 28 radio in combination with an electronically
amplified phonograph, making it one of the very first fully electric
radio/phono sets. It was also one of the first phonographs on the market to use a paper-cone speaker
(Victor's other radio-phono combination sets of that era paired RCA radios with
phonographs that used electromagnetic-driver horns, or acoustic Orthophonic
horns). The cone-style speaker was an expensive product at that time;
within a few years, it will become commonplace on virtually all radios and
phonographs. The
Hyperion was one of the most expensive models in the Victor product lineup in
1926. The large cabinet used a figured Walnut veneer and with elegant trim
details.
The Hyperion sold for $900.00 new, which equates to
about $13,000.00 in today's money. Due to the rapid advancements in electronics
and speakers during the mid-1920's, it rapidly became obsolete, and production
was phased-out late that same year. Unsold stock of this model continued to be
marketed and sold by Victor dealers through 1927, and were likely being
discounted by that time.
Approximately 2,100 Hyperion phonographs were
produced, making it a relatively rare model. However, they are very expensive to
restore today, due to the difficulty in finding some of the early electronic
components.
The current survival database shows the earliest existent Hyperion to be s/n 525 and the latest to be s/n 2244
Do you own a Victor Hyperion? 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.
