I found the memo, and I had it backwards. The Theremin was transfered from the Radiola Division to the Victor Division in March, 1930.
On Oct 1, 2007, at 3:33 PM, [email protected] wrote: > I recall seeing a letter to dealers that mentioned that the > responsibility for the Theremin was being transfered from the > Victor Division to the RCA Division. In this sense, there would > really be "Victor Theremins" and "RCA Theremins". > > > > On Oct 1, 2007, at 2:08 PM, Andrew Baron wrote: > >> Thanks Walt for these very helpful crating comments; they are much >> appreciated. I own an RCA theremin**, so am familiar with the >> delicate nature of the legs (which as we know are often missing), >> but I hadn't gotten farther in my mind than vague ideas of braces >> or boxing in the leg portion. >> >> I agree that the best approach would be a full length crate, with >> some kind of additional lower support, and shipped upside down. >> In my wishful thinking, I was picturing it wrapped only in a nice >> soft quilt and traveling in the back of someone's vehicle (it even >> fits across the rear seat of mid-size cars). Short of that, it >> would certainly need careful and thoughtful preparation if it's to >> be handled by the usual shipper workforce, or forcework or >> whatever we should call them. >> >> I also concur that there are perhaps 100 or more survivors of the >> original 500 standard RCA models, it's just that the only >> internationally public registry has logged only about 40 >> instruments by their serial numbers, so that's all we have that's >> definite. >> >> I can actually play this instrument, with reasonably accurate >> pitch and even with some expressiveness, but I'm no musician. If >> I can find a simple way to record it, even with a microphone, and >> upload the recording to a URL with space for it, I'd be happy to >> do so. I just haven't spent any serious time researching the nuts >> and bolts of how to go about doing it. >> >> I wouldn't want to put you to any trouble, but I would love to >> have any contacts you've established in the past with other >> vintage theremin owners. >> >> Thanks again for your thoughtful reply. >> >> Andy >> **In contemporary demonstrations, and most literature from the >> time when these instruments were new, they were referred to as >> "The Victor Theremin", no doubt because RCA viewed it as having >> more in common with their recently acquired music / record >> distribution network than with their Radiola division. I have two >> Victor pressings that feature the theremin, and would love to find >> any others that exist. The two I have are: Victor 22495-- Lover, >> Come Back to Me & Dancing With Tears In My Eyes, and Canadian VTMC >> 22296-- I'm a Dreamer, Aren't We All? & Love (Your Spell is >> Everywhere). >> >> >> On Oct 1, 2007, at 12:19 PM, Walt wrote: >> >>> Andy, >>> >>> If the chassis and other removable parts, especially anything >>> made of iron, >>> are going to be shipped separately, ask your seller to make sure >>> that the >>> tubes (assuming it has them) are removed and individually packed. >>> And, as >>> you think to ship the cabinet (and this assumes that it is >>> without a chassis >>> or any of the larger iron frame parts), you might consider having >>> a crate >>> constructed and then shipping it upside down. >>> >>> Yes, crazy I know... As unconventional as that may sound (and the >>> first time >>> I was told this it seemed silly) it is potentially a much safer >>> means to >>> ship. The Theremin cabinets are very much like the Radiola >>> cabinets of the >>> day except they have incredibly tall and slim spindly stiletto >>> legs that are >>> more precarious then my Victor Revere. The other way to ship it >>> safely if >>> you don't want to invert the empty cabinet is to have a wooden >>> frame built >>> that is about 1/2" taller then the legs, which would be mounted >>> to the crate >>> base and ultimately bear the weight of the unit by supporting the >>> underside >>> of the cabinet directly. I use a this technique all of the time when >>> shipping many upright Victrolas (although the Victrola cabinets I >>> make them >>> for are much nearer to the ground) and it has virtually >>> eliminated broken >>> legs or cabinet frame damage from splitting. It has always been >>> worth the >>> effort in my work. >>> >>> If you ship the Theremin cabinet standing on its legs you have a >>> puny total >>> of 4 or 5 square inches of area to support the whole structure. >>> By building >>> a frame with a platform top upon which the cabinet underside can >>> rest you >>> increase the area of support a hundredfold and totally relieve >>> the legs of >>> having to support anything except their individual weight. >>> >>> I have worked with some collectors on the restorations of >>> original RCA >>> Theremins in the past and the actual numbers of surviving units >>> seems to be >>> greater than the widely rumored statistics floating about the >>> internet. I >>> can't prove it, but based on the relatively active number of >>> collectors I >>> have encountered it would seem to be more in the hundred plus >>> range just as >>> a feeling goes. But they are rare - for sure. However, the fact >>> that 500 >>> were made seems to be accurate based on the serial numbers of I >>> have seen. I >>> would have to do some serious digging, but if you want, I would >>> be happy to >>> forward any email addresses that I have from the guys I worked >>> worth. They >>> are some of the most helpful collectors of anything that I have ever >>> encountered so far. >>> >>> So.......Will we be the first to hear your RCA Theremin music >>> once it is >>> altogether again? >>> >>> Walt >> _______________________________________________ >> Phono-L mailing list >> http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
