Hello and thank you for this piece of information. My recollection agrees with this, in that I seemed to remember that it was called the RCA Theremin just at first, and then it became the Victor Theremin. I didn't have the date however, so many thanks for that. This would put the name change-over about five to six months after the introduction of the theremin which is a bit later than I would have thought.
What memo is this that contains the information? Best, Andy On Oct 1, 2007, at 5:30 PM, [email protected] wrote: > 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 > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
