Thu Aug 09, 2012 11:47 am
It is extremely difficult to determine a value of a nitrate film. There are a few private collectors who do buy nitrate films. Archives are typically under-funded and while they can pay something for a film, it is not very much. One thing that you could certainly ask for is a DVD copy of the film, after it has been transferred.
Having the only copy of a nitrate film is not the same as having the only copy of a comic book or baseball card. While there are people that are interested in seeing the film, there are not very many people or institutions interested in actually possessing it. It is more of a cultural artifact rather than something you can display in your living room. The reel does have value to those researching film history, or possibly making documentaries on film history.
Most silent films have little commercial value anyway, but a single reel of a multi-reel feature has no commercial value at all.
For an example of someone who tried to make money off of the only existing copy of a nitrate film, Edison's Frankenstein (1910), google "Al Dettlaff". He was unable to get any archive to meet his price for the film, so he attempted to release it on DVD himself. Interestingly, he also had an early copy of Robin Hood, which he did give to the Fort Lee Film Commission and it has been preserved.
