By the way-if you cannot find someone in the area that can do the removal of paint-please contact me I can do the testing and let you know what can be done. A number of folks including Andrew know who I am.
Abe Feder The Restoration House LLC 602-622-7289 On Mon, Sep 9, 2013 at 10:40 PM, Andrew Baron <[email protected]> wrote: > That would explain the great sound. I'm also a recipient of Steve's > expertise and labor, and count myself very fortunate to be able to say that. > > Regarding the choice of a Victor III for the Vernis-Martin finish, it > wouldn't be the first time that a less than top-of-the-line Victor or > Victrola was given this treatment. > No doubt in my mind about what you have. The images of the artistic > graphics lurking beneath the gold paint are at once haunting, inspiring and > compelling. > > Thanks again for sharing your find and taking the time to produce the > video and make it available. > > Andrew Baron > Santa Fe > > > On Sep 9, 2013, at 5:34 PM, Melissa Ricci wrote: > > > Thank you so much, Andrew! What a nice email. > > > > The reason the sound is so good is because Steve Medved rebuilt that > reproducer for us! Unfortunately, the machine did not come with its > reproducer, so we put one of our extra ones on it for testing. Steve does > such a great job on our reproducers! > > > > Thanks again, > > > > Melissa > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: Andrew Baron <[email protected]> > > To: Antique Phonograph List <[email protected]> > > Sent: Sunday, September 8, 2013 11:35 PM > > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Mystery Victor III-UPDATE! > > > > > > A hearty congratulations Melissa, and thanks for the update. A truly > inspiring progress report. > > > > Great to see the mandolin and roses under the existing gold paint, and > the machine sounds wonderful. How satisfying it must be to have it alive > again with its new mainsprings. Looks like new reproducer gaskets and > flange as well, underscoring a triumphant recording. > > > > Machines like this, that are so rare and have survived more than a > century through questionable practices and poor conditions, have real > stories to tell. Thanks for sharing this one. > > > > Andrew Baron > > Santa Fe > > > > On Sep 8, 2013, at 5:52 PM, Melissa Ricci wrote: > > > >> Hello Everyone, > >> > >> Here is an update on our Mystery Victor III. First, we would > >> like to thank everybody who emailed us with advice and help! You are all > >> wonderful! > >> > >> We were emailed off list about what we now know we really > >> have. It turns out that back in the day, Victor made special custom made > >> cabinet styles for the ultra wealthy. When you are that wealthy, you > could get > >> pretty much anything you wanted including a gold Victor with hand > painted > >> figures on the sides and all gold plated hardware! The style is called > >> Vernis-Martin and was apparently pretty popular with those who could > afford it. > >> The different columns, cabinet style and color were all a special > order, which > >> now makes perfect sense. The patent plate was originally on the inside > so that > >> it wouldn’t cover the flowers. We were wondering why there were no extra > >> pinholes anywhere on the outside of the cabinet. Now we know. > >> > >> We assumed correctly that the machine had been re-painted > >> during its lifetime and unfortunately, the person who “restored” it > painted > >> fresh gold paint right over the original finish and the hand painted > >> decorations! Once we cleaned the cabinet up, you could clearly see a > mandolin, > >> sheet music and roses with leaves under the topcoat of paint. You can > also see > >> the original bright gold leaf under the ugly new paint. We are in the > process > >> of finding an expert in restoring these types of finishes and getting a > formal > >> appraisal. > >> > >> It is a good thing we were contacted about this when we > >> were. We were all set to strip the cabinet and refinish it last > weekend! What a > >> disaster that would have been. Below is a link to see the machine > running for > >> the first time. The machine had two broken springs that we just > replaced along > >> with a good motor cleaning. I tried to get a good shot of the mandolin > on the > >> left side of the cabinet. I hope you can see it through the paint on > Youtube. Please note that the original crank is missing from this machine > so we borrowed one from our other Victor III. > >> > >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQobeO-HfLw&feature=youtu.be > >> > >> We are thrilled to own such a rare machine and it is going > >> to stay in our collection for a while before we ever consider selling > it. We > >> certainly want to make it look as nice as we possibly can while still > keeping > >> it as original as possible. > >> > >> We will send a post when we find an expert to remove that > >> top layer of paint and try to restore the images underneath. What we > thought > >> was a frankenphone turned out to be something special. You never know > what > >> you’re going to come across at an auction! > >> > >> Happy Hunting. J > >> > >> Melissa and Nick > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Phono-L mailing list > >> http://phono-l.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Phono-L mailing list > > http://phono-l.org > > _______________________________________________ > > Phono-L mailing list > > http://phono-l.org > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.org > _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org
