click to enlargeAll photos are from actual film for sale.
Condition:
Film is in good condition, no vinegar odor.
Film Specs:
SILENT film, Kodachrome color.
Description:
Here's a 100' reel of film that shows a VW club doing an "Economy Run" -- presumably to show how fuel efficient the Beetle can be. Beautiful material here with early Bugs in new condition.
Save a film from destruction -- adopt one today and preserve it!
NOTE: Due to the proliferation of film to video transfer, all films are now sold "as is" no returns, no exchanges. I try to describe items accurately but some condition aspects of these items are subjective. Cans are not included in the auction unless mentioned or shown. Foreign bidders please use the shipping calculator at the bottom of the auction to avoid confusion or disappointment. Films shipped overseas are subject to handling fees as they must be accompanied by customs forms and hand delivered to the post office.
I do not negotiate shipping rates but I do happily combine shipping on multiple items purchased. Just wait for me to send you a combined invoice after purchase, please.
People often ask:
Does this auction include a can or canister. Where can I get one?
If no canister is pictured with the auction, then no can is included in the auction. However sometimes we do send cans anyway, and sometimes we ship films in cans. It just depends what we have in stock. If you need a can, a great seller of film supplies on eBay is Urbanskifilm.
If I win the auction, can I get the 16mm film I won transferred to video or DVD so I can watch it?
The answer is "yes". Contact us for more information.
You didn't mention the run time of the film for sale. How long is it?
Well that's an interesting question. Sound films run at 24 frames per second, but silent films were often shot at a slower rate, often 18 frames per second. This means that while a 400' reel of sound movies runs about 11 minutes long, a similar 400' reel of silent movies will run 14.5 minutes or so if projected at the proper speed. Similarly, a 100' reel of film will run three to four minutes.
How do I tell if a film is a sound film or a silent film?
In almost every case, items described as "home movies" are silent films. Also, silent films have sprockets on both sides, and sound films only on one side. (Occasionally a single-perf film will also be silent however). You cannot / should not run sound films on a silent projector -- it will destroy them. (You can however run silent films on a sound projector.)
What is the vinegar odor and/or the "mothball" smell that you mention in the auction and why is it important?
The mothball or camphor smell is actually nothing to worry about -- it's a residue left over from camphor oil which was recommended by Kodak to keep films supple. Back in the 20s and 30s Kodascope film cans actually had a paper filter built into them which could be saturated with a drop of camphor oil, and it seems to have worked effectively. I haven't heard the whole story but someone said its use was discontinued during WWII due to military use of camphor.
Different situation if a film is emitting a vinegar odor, that indicates it is beginning to deteriorate. Films that have light vinegar odor are almost always projectable and can be telecined. Films with heavier levels of odor or full blown "vinegar syndrome" -- an extreme version of the problem -- may require care, treatment with chemicals or molecular sieves, or other handling or repair before transfer. In some extreme cases they may not be salvageable. You can read a lot more about this on-line.
How do you ship films?
16mm and 8mm films qualify for Media Mail shipping in the USA, although with small reels we will sometimes ship by First Class or Priority Mail, our choice please. Foreign bidders, all items are normally shipped by Priority Mail International. Please note that USPS prices for heavy films can sometimes be prohibitive depending on your location.
I have a film collection for sale. Do you buy films?
Yes, we buy and sell lots of films. Please contact us and tell us what you have.