VV-IX

VV-IX

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The VV-IX or Victrola the Ninth, was a very popular phonograph; it was the company's top-selling tabletop model with a closable lid. The concept of a 'tabletop' Victrola started with the failed VV-XII model in 1909. They had the right idea for this type of small Victrola, but the horn opening was too small and the machine was too expensive. Subsequent tabletop models launched in 1910 included the VV-X and VV-XI, which had much better performance, but were still expensive for the average household. So in the summer of 1911, the VV-IX and VV-VIII models were introduced to appeal to buyers with modest budgets. The IX was priced at $50.00 (equivalent to $1,750.00 today). It featured a larger cabinet than the VV-VIII model, and also offered the choice of a mahogany or oak veneer finish. Its introduction was concurrent with the launch of a wide lineup of newly-designed machines. The IX featured a well-crafted cabinet, nickel plated hardware, a two-spring motor, and Victor's Exhibition Soundbox. Along with nearly all of the other newly-introduced models, sales of the VV-IX were strong from the start. Production of the IX ran for more than 13 years, which was certainly a tribute to its success. It became Victor's fourth best-selling model of all time. The earliest VV-IX machines (top left) used simple wood baffles to direct the sound internally from the tonearm base to the downward-facing 'slats' at the front opening; closable 'tone doors' were used to control the sound volume. A full-size 12" turntable was used. It was not until 1913 that an actual horn assembly (consisting of a cast iron elbow and wood horn mouth) was used internally to improve the sound volume. At the same time, the cabinet was enlarged slightly. In early 1915, small 'feet' were added to the cabinet (bottom left). While many of the IX model's design features evolved over the years (see breakdown below), it remained about the same in form and function as when it was when first introduced. Incremental suffix letters following the serial number indicate small upgrades to the motor and/or mechanical components. Per factory documentation, a total of just over 569,000 Victrola IX models were produced. Production of the IX was likely terminated in the spring of 1924. As with many other Victrola models, the VV-IX was a huge success for the company; but when sales of Victrolas began to slow in favor of radio, Victor failed to respond to the market changes by slowing their production rate. Therefore, in spite of lagging sales, many thousands of these machines continued to come off the assembly line, and the large network of dealers and distributors began bursting at the seams with unsold Victrolas. Due to this considerable overproduction, it is likely that many late-production VV-IX models were shipped to markets in Latin America, or were sold during the company's 'half-price' sale during the summer of 1925. For more information on Victor's financial crisis of 1924-1925 and the overproduction of phonographs, please click here. Several suppliers produced custom base cabinets for the VV-IX (right). Many of these cabinets merged into the base of the phonograph so perfectly, that the combination of phonograph and base appears as one floor-standing machine. These cabinets were made by a variety of companies, including the Pooley Furniture Company of Philadelphia. While Victor never produced a base cabinet for this model, they were frequently sold as aftermarket accessories by Victor dealers. Due to the large volume that were originally produced, the VV-IX (and many similar low-cost Victrola models) are typically ignored by collectors today, unless in exceptional original condition. Far too many were produced to be considered 'collectible' in the current market.

* Note: the "A" designator after the model indicates a revised motor design. The A was soon dropped from the dataplate, but the improved motor remained.

The survival database currently shows the earliest existent VV-IX to be S/N 581 and the latest to be S/N 566246.

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