Return to Home Page

                                                                            

VV-XVI  Serial Number 65117 Type E Weathered Oak Finish 

Build Date: November 1912

Originality:   1   Outstanding original, right down to the turntable felt

Overall Condition:  2-   Exceptional overall appearance, very minor signs of wear

(See the Ratings/Condition page for our grading scales)


 

 

The VV-XVI was Victor's "Flagship" Victrola model, large in size and impressive in design. With Victor's best 3-spring motor, gold-plated trim and hand-carved corner posts, these machines are imposing, and can dominate a good-sized room.  In August 1912, the XVI model underwent a major design change (the suffix letter was changed to "E"); the cabinet became much more ornate and detailed, and was enlarged considerably. Those XVI's with an "E" or "F" suffix had an extraordinary amount of hand-carving on the corner posts (even more than the previous versions), and these never fail to gain attention.  In 1915, the XVI cabinet was 'downscaled' in size and detail to save production costs, so these elegant and ornate versions were not available for very long.  The vast majority of XVI's were produced in mahogany; Golden Oak was a distant second. Weathered Oak XVI's are scarce, and this is an exceptional surviving original example. The produciton of Weathered Oak models involved less sanding of the raw veneer (to leave the texture a bit rougher than other finishes) followed by placing the cabinet in a vat of dark stain, followed by a 'steam bath' of ammonia vapor. This created a very unique and beautiful finish, intended to capture the effect of a piece of oak furniture left to to age outdoors over a long period of time. The subtle hints of browns, yellows, reds and tans can clearly be seen, and it is truly striking.  The oak has fantastic figuring, and there is none of the usual damage on the magnificent corner-posts.   There is slight wear on the lid, a few light "zings", and a small ding on the lid's right corner (see picture), but these would not likely be noticed unless they were pointed out.  The original gold-plated hardware does show some wear from use, but retains a very presentable appearance. This would be a great centerpiece of any collection, and will blend-in with virtually any room decor.  Try to find another Weathered Oak "Type E"  like this, in outstanding original condition! You can find more on the XVI by clicking here. 

 

This would be well-placed in a large room, and would fit-in with a wide variety of decors. As with all our phonographs, the motor, soundbox and all mechanical components have been torn down, cleaned and correctly rebuilt. It comes with our 2 year unconditional performance warranty.

 

 

             

 PRICE:  $695.00

 

        

 Our Warranty   How to Order

Return to Catalog