Victrola And Its Numerous Versions

The name “Victrola” applies only to The inner horn phonographs that were created by the Victor Conversing Device Firm. Consequently it is not a generic time period which might be placed on all outdated phonographs.

In 1906, the primary inner horn phonograph was marketed to the general public. It was initially labeled as “The Victor-Victrola.” The release also triggered contracting the cabinet supplier Pooley Household furniture Firm of Philadelphia. Because Victor experienced no enough producing services, it desired a business that could assist in the manufacture of massive cabinets.

The Victor-Victrola was created to cater to wealthy customers While using the Preliminary sale selling price mounted in the superior rate of $200. It ought to be remembered that the most expensive product of Victor that came with an exterior horn was priced and bought at fifty percent the rate with the Victor-Victrola. Nonetheless, the machine done very well regarding product sales which manufactured Victor believe that immediate achievements was on the way in which.

Domed Lid Victrola

Originally, Victrola experienced a flat-best structure which introduced many concerns. Perhaps the most pressing and most uncomfortable difficulty refers back to the require for your person to “achieve way down” into the cabinet’s deep opening whenever there’s a ought to elevate the needle or change a document. In a calendar year, the organization settled The problem by designing a domed lid model More Bonuses whereby the turntable and the tone arm sit Nearly flushed on top of The cupboard. There have been only various thousand Pooley Victrolas with flat-major structure that were developed which manufactured them a hugely sought-immediately after collectors’ merchandise.

Victrola the Sixteenth

The earliest designs of Victrola were assigned Together with the abbreviation of “VTLA” within the dataplate. Nonetheless, they were shortly marketed While using the designation of “Victrola the Sixteenth” or VV-XVI. The business experimented additional by advertising a far more deluxe product which experienced the designation of “Victrola the Twentieth” (VV-XX). The latter, which had gold plated trim on the cabinet, was offered for the price of $300.

Victrola XII

In 1909, Victor launched a lower priced tabletop model often known as “Victrola XII” which was bought at $one hundred twenty five. It absolutely was the organization’s 1st try to make a very low-rate compact Variation of Victrola which turned out to be unsuccessful. The main reason could possibly be attributed on the compact design’s horn opening which was considered as much too small to deliver enough quantity in a huge space.

Other Victrolas

The most popular Victrola was the VV-XI ground model which sold much more than 850,000 copies during its overall creation duration of 1910 to 1921. The next models of Victrola ended up also released available in the market:

1910 - Victrola X ($seventy five)
Victrola XI ($100)
Victrola the Fourteenth (VV-XIV, $one hundred fifty)


1911 - VV-IV | VV-VI | VV-VIII | VV-IX
*reduced priced styles with rates that ranged concerning $15 and $50

VV-X | VV-XI (transformed from tabletop to reduced priced flooring styles)

Between 1913 – 1917 – VV-XVIII ($300); VV-XVII ($250)

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