The Victor-Victrola Page

The Victor-Victrola Page

VV-IX

RARITY: Y VALUE Y

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The IX was a very popular "upscale" tabletop Victrola. This model used a 12-inch turntable and two spring motor. Production was started in May of 1911 and discontinued in 1924, however, IX's continued to be shipped to dealers from remaining factory inventory up through the middle of 1926. The IX was available in either mahogany or oak finishes, but mahogany was by far the most popular choice. The progressive suffix letters after the serial number indicate minor changes to the design (location of speed control, type of tonearm support, etc.). The cabinet also went through several minor design changes. Earliest production versions have very closely spaced downward facing slats in the horn opening (left). Small "feet" were added to the cabinet in 1915 (right).

Several companies produced custom base cabinets for the VV-IX (photograph below). Some of these cabinets merged into the base of the phonograph so well, that the combination of phonograph and base appears as one floor-standing machine. These cabinets were made by a variety of companies, including the Pooley Furniture Company of Philadelphia. While Victor never produced a base cabinet for this model, they were frequently sold as aftermarket accessories by Victor dealers.

The original 1911 selling price of the IX was $50.00. At the end of the model run, it sold new for $75.00. An estimated total of 570,500 Victrola IX's were produced.

The current collector database shows the earliest existent VV-IX to be S/N 1371 and the latest to be S/N 556602.

* Note: the "A" designator after the model indicates a revised motor design. The A was later dropped from the dataplate, but the improved motor remained

Do you own a Victrola VV-IX? Please take a moment and enter some basic information about your machine into the collector's database by clicking here. No personal information is required.

Manufacture Date	Serial Number Range	Feature Notes
1911	501-15000	First machines use bullet brake. Bullet brake ends at S/N 6394. Late year machines use an A suffix
1912	15000-47000	Some machines have an A or B suffix
1913	47000-87500	Some machines have a B, C or D suffix
1914	87500-149000	Some machines have a D, E or F suffix.
1915	149000-214000	Early year machines have an F suffix, most year's production has G suffix. Feet added very early in year around S/N 149000 on G suffix machines. Some machines begin using a dash mark after the model identification
1916	214000-286500	Most machines have a G suffix
1917	286500-357500	Some machines have no suffix letter, others continue the G suffix. Small glass speed control introduced at S/N 316350. IX-A* designation used after September 1917
1918	357500-401500	IX-A designation ceases after December 1918.
1919	401500-461000	Suffix letters permanently discontinued. Some machines between S/N 408000 and 421000 have a leading "zero" prior to the serial number. This was due to a stamping error on some plates, wherein duplicate serial numbers were issued. The leading zero allowed production auditing during this period.
1920	461000-529500
1921	529500-533000	No. 2 Soundbox added
1922	533000-544000
1923	544000-555000
1924	555000-565000	Some machines begin to use orange turntable felt cover
1925-26	565000-570400