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EDITOR’S RAMBLINGS

Two events during the last month have prompted this editorial:
1. The recent CATHS Swap Meet / Auction held in Melbourne. As auctioneer, I
noted that one of the sellers had two very nice 16mm projectors up for sale – one
was a Bell & Howell, the other an Eiki – both were in very nice condition and we
were assured that they were in good operational condition. Despite my best
efforts as auctioneer, both were passed in at very low prices, in the vicinity of
$30.00.
2. A letter arrived from long time subscriber and contributor to RD, Daniel Gossen
commenting that he was no longer buying 16mm films, because he is concerned
that he may not be able to screen films in the future as projectors and / or spare
parts are difficult to come by.

Those two events raise some interesting
thoughts, some of which contradict
each other.
On the one hand, we have a person who,
I imagine is thoroughly disenchanted with
the interest and the price he eventually
received for two projectors that he
had obviously spent time cleaning,
servicing and ensuring were in good
condition for resale. On the other hand, we
have a person wanting to buy similar
equipment, and not being able to locate
it. OK, you might say, simply put the two
guys in touch with each other and the
situation is solved.
I think we should look at this situation from a
different perspective. I am well aware that
there are lots of 16mm projectors out there
in storage (I guess I have a dozen in the
garage in various conditions). In my case, I didn’t bother to clean up and service any of
them for the Swap Meet, as my previous experience showed that they would not sell at a
price that would justify the amount of time to do the job.
Now this is where it gets messy! What would you do with those projectors taking up
valuable space in my (or your) garage? Should I take them to the tip next weekend?
Or, should I keep them for the future.

I suspect many similar items have gone to the tip under similar circumstances. But wait!
We all claim to be “enthusiasts”, “collectors”, “archivists”, etc. If we dispose of those
currently unwanted projectors, what of the future. No one is making new projectors; if we
dispose of those out there then the future of our hobby is doomed.
What to do? May I suggest that we simply hang onto them, get then working and make
them available to new entrants into our hobby at a reasonable price, but certainly do not
junk them!

REEL DEALS September 2006 3