The acetate also deteriorates, differently but still goes away. If its commercial acetate it is marked on the side of the film "safety film".
Andrew Baron wrote: > Thanks, Al for these observations on value, which make perfect sense. > I also appreciate your comments on nitrate and acetate film. Do you > happen to know when the industry as a whole (or for the most part) > switched over to Acetate? I have some 16 mm films that I should > probably take a sniff at, but if I know for example that these were > all made after 1935 and the industry changed over to acetate by 1930, > then there would be less risk of them being deteriorating nitrate. > > Best, > Andy > > On Aug 23, 2008, at 2:00 AM, ClockworkHome at aol.com wrote: > >> The value of Home Kinetoscope films vary so much that a firm set >> price is >> like asking what a Blue Amberol will sell for. The topic is all >> important to the >> collector. The Home Kinetoscopes were used by police departments for >> training films which a law enforcement collector would pay a high >> for while a topic >> like "storm waves hitting the Jersey shore" may only bring $50 which >> is >> generally the lowest I have seen. So, prices start at $50 and go as >> high as $2,500 >> for a presidential parade and inauguration. The special films were >> normally >> lost in time so projector collectors are usually just happy to have >> one of >> something they can put on a Home Kinetoscope for display purposes. >> The only way to >> determine what "Cocoa Production in the West Indies" would be truly >> worth is >> to put it on eBay and see how high it goes. As a chocoholic I would >> bid to >> $100 ! ! ! >> >> Some of the films were on nitrate film stock rather than acetate >> safety film. >> Any old film that has a smell of vinegar usually means that it is >> nitrate >> and becoming unstable. Edison's use of acetate later became the >> industry >> standard "safety film" as the old nitrate burns dangerously fast. I >> have run >> nitrate film in a fireproof projection booth with blast doors and >> metal drop slides >> over the projection ports. You don't want nitrate film in your home. >> >> Best Wishes, >> >> Al >> >> >> >> >> **************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find >> your travel >> deal here. >> (http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047) >> _______________________________________________ >> Phono-L mailing list >> http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > >
