The Victor-Victrola Page   

VV-XIII

RARITY: ¤¤¤¤  VALUE: ¤¤¤

The VV-XIII was a unique model for the Canadian market. For many years, collectors had known that the Victor production logs documented an "VV-XIII" model, but until the mid-1990's (when a few turned up in the hands of collectors), it was often assumed to be an error in the factory record-keeping. In recent years, several more have turned up at phonograph auctions and sales. The XIII was presumably manufactured in Camden NJ and exported to Canada in very limited quantities. It was a simple, mid-priced phonograph with minimal trim, and was comparable in size to the VV-90 in the US. Unlike the VV-90, the XIII cabinet featured unusual short Queen Anne legs. Based on surviving examples, it was available only in a mahogany finish, and included an automatic brake and two spring motor. 
The VV-XIII was produced only during 1921, and sold for $250.00 CDN at that time. The exchange rate in 1921 was approximately $1US=$1.21CDN, making the XIII priced at $206.00 US. As a comparison, the VV-90 in the US was then selling for $125.00.
Per Robert Baumbach's Victor Data Book, factory records show that only 662 XIIIs were produced, making it one of the rarest Victrola models. The XIII remains somewhat of a mystery, as the cost of designing, manufacturing and exporting this unique phonograph in such low volumes does not make sense. It has been speculated that it was a trial product for a specialized market region (e.g. Toronto or Montreal), or that it was an attempt to produce an exclusive machine for a particular retail outlet such as Eatons.

Do you own a Victrola VV=XIII? 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.