Victor III With Wooden Horn, Mechanically Restored for sale

The Victor III is a favorite of contemporary phonograph and record collectors. It's scarce enough to be highly desirable, yet still available enough to be modestly priced. It offers Victor quality and reliability. The double spring motor yields extended playing time.

The serial number on the cabinet indicates a production date of 1909-1913.

This example gives you the best of both worlds: original finish and a mechanical rebuild.

We have taken apart the motor, removed over 100 years of dirt, cleaned, adjusted and lubricated everything. Both mainsprings have been pulled and re-greased, a big job, but important to keep the springs from sticking to each other as they unwind. The turntable shaft bearing has been cleaned and re-lubricated.

The original Exhibition reproducer has been rebuilt, and a new flange installed for airtightness.

The machine is now running as smooth as can be, and sounds great, as you can hear in the youtube video below.

Cosmetically, the smooth wooden horn, approximately 19 inches long with an 18.5 inch bell, is in very nice condition, no splits or cracks.

This is an all-original machine, absolutely no reproduction parts. That also means that the cabinet and horn enjoy original finish. There is typical age darkening and weathering on some parts of the finish, particularly the motorboard.

One reason we didn't touch the finish, and why I'd recommend you do not also, is because one panel of the cabinet retains a decal from the original retail seller, Knight and Campbell Music Company, of Denver. It is quite unusual and a nice touch to find such a decal.

The tone arm still has very decent nickel plating (see images). There is some weathering down to the brass on spots of the original elbow. Parts that were handled a lot and always suffer heavy corrosion, such as the brake and speed control, have been polished out. There is a little weathering of the paint and decals on the back bracket, but not so much it should be redone.

Great choice if you want a Victor with a wooden horn -- you can't go wrong with this one.

Inquire about this item

View more from this category

Lynn Bilton
Box 435
Randolph,OH 44265
330 325-7866

We buy, sell, and repair antique phonographs and music boxes.

Pick-up and delivery possible in many parts of the midwest,south, and northeast.