silvertone victrola

Okay, I got this portable silvertone victrola today with some records which Is what I was really after. But now that I got it home this is a really neat player. The crank works and it actually plays but eventually the weight of the needle/cylinder??? bogs it down, I know absolutely nothing about this player, So ive stopped messing with it before I break something. There is some speed lever on top just under the player, and a handle just above that seems to start & stop the player, then on the front is 2 levers might of had knobs at one time not sure what they do. Also got a few 78 records with this as well. I very well maybe come addicted to 78 records if I can get this thing to work better....
So any info on year make or model would help, Only says silvertone thats it. Then if someone can tell me what all the levers and knobs are for. If i crank the lever too much will I hurt the machine, and lastly the table bogs down when the needle/speaker cylinder trys to play, so what do I need to do. I havent tried to clean or oil anything. This is garage sale fresh. Any help at all appreciated thanks..

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I do not know anything about these players. But Sears sold Silvertone units it was there house name. Who made it can be found if there is any type of sears model # on it should start like 161.x xxx. I know sears used Emerson and a few other's to build there hifi's. I have a few sears books and will look to see if it is in there.

Also most of these need there needles changed after so many plays. The front leavers could be to adjust sound loud to soft. But do not take my word on that.

Going WAY back to my childhood--my neighbor had one very similar to this--I think that the "dial" is a speed control and the other two
controls are for "volume" (open and close flaps). Also, I am no expert on these, by any means (in fact all I know, about these, is contained here in this post), but I am lead to believe that the needle was to be changed after every play-- Ron Rich

Shouldn't this OP have posted in the "Acoustic" phonos section?...... after all, this item is not an "electronic" one.

Matt. you are so correct---I did not "catch this" or I would have moved it---Did so now--Thanks,
Ron Rich