VV 1-2 / Aladdin
The VV 1-2/Aladdin was intended for use by children; it was a virtual clone of the
low-price VV 1-1 Victrola with the exception of external
decoration. For an additional $3.00 above the cost of the VV 1-1, the
buyer got a phonograph painted in white enamel, with decals of characters from the "Tales of Arabian Nights" story
placed around the cabinet. This model used the old-style
Exhibition Soundbox, a simple single spring motor. The pine wood case initially had an open bottom (covered with a wood panel in late production versions), and the volume
control front doors were eliminated, resulting in a very basic phonograph. It was an extremely light-weight machine; the user had to hold
the cabinet firmly while winding to keep it in place.
The enamel paint on these machines did not age well, and it is rare to find an original example
today without a lot of paint loss. Around December
1925, the "VV 1-2" model nomenclature was changed to "Aladdin ".Presumably, this change was made to correspond to the introduction of the new
Orthophonic Victrolas, many of which now used names for different models, rather than
number designations. The VV 1-2 remained in the Victor
catalog until 1929, although factory records indicate that none were
manufactured after late 1927. Early production models have the dataplate
attached to the side of the machine; the plate was later moved beneath the
turntable; for these late machines, the turntable must be lifted off in order to read
the serial number. Some early examples have been reported with Alice in
Wonderland figures, rather than the Aladdin characters but this alternate design has not been
verified. The original 1925 selling price of the 1-2 was $18.00, which equates to
approximately $350.00 in today's money. An estimated total of 22,700 Victrola
1-2/Aladdin machines were produced.
| Manufacture Date | Serial Number Range | Feature Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1925 | 501-15500 | Name changed to Aladdin in December 1925 |
| 1926 | 15500-19000 | |
| 1927 | 19000-23174 | Base enclosed mid-year. Many late-production machines were exported. |
The current survival database shows the earliest existent VV 1-2 / Aladdin to be s/n 1450 and the latest is s/n 21245.
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