Auction House Sale of a Massive Collection of Projectors

[John Halfacre]

The following maybe of interest to 8mm/16mm/35mm projector folk. Charterhouse Auctions in Dorset, UK have a sale of a massive collection of projectors from a single collector on 2nd October. This link is to an introduction to the sale from the Auction house :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FvfwYVJ3AU&t=2s

[John Taylor]

Holy cow!!!! I have never seen that many projectors in one place in all my years. What size house did the collector have!!!!!
It is so sad that someone has taken a lifetime to build up such a collection and then all of it has to be sold off to the highest bidder/s.

Dare I be a little controversial and add that this can be what happens when collecting becomes hoarding? (Perhaps)
Some superb machines in there, I wonder how they were kept up to date with servicing or maybe many of them were just for display.

[Steve Klare]

This seems to be a projector collection without a film collection. It's kind of like finding a car collection owned by somebody that doesn't drive.

[John Taylor]

Not so sure Steve, the guy did say there are film as well, and film posters and records.

[Brian Fretwell]

Seems to be about 600 lots and projectors not always one per lot.
Catalogue here:- https://www.easyliveauction.com/cata.../?iFrameView=1 cameras/projectors start on page 9. Also film posters seem to have higher estimates than projectors!!
That certificate for PRS showed the name Malcolm McCullock (as far as I could see)

[Ed Gordon]

...
Dare I be a little controversial and add that this can be what happens when collecting becomes hoarding?...

I had the same thought John. I wonder if one is considered a "hoarder" if your collection (pile of crap) is cataloged and neatly stored? To be fare to the original owner, the video was made in the auction house storeroom, not the collector's home. Then again the moderator mentioned that some projectors were stored in the kitchen...

[Steve Lee]

After studying the lots closely, I don't think this auction house is doing any justice to this wonderful collection.
In Lot 546 there is a Pathe Kok 28mm projector, that is hidden at the back of the picture. There are also creates of 8mm films included with some 16mm projectors.
There are so many goodies to be picked up here.

[Ken Finch]

I think the original owner must have been extremely wealthy and had a large property to be able to collect so much gear. Did he own a museum of the cinema I wonder. It is the pity the projector lots are so mixed regarding the film gauges etc. There appears to be more gear than many cinema museums have on display.😳

[Iain Warner]

Malcolm MacCulloch was one of the Yetties and he died a couple of years ago. Looking at all the musical instruments included in the sale I would hazard a guess they came from his estate.
Iain

[John Burgess]

Its evident whoever catalogued the items were clueless as we don't even know what each lot contains , only one mention of the first item followed by other projectors etc. I noticed a Heutier projector in one lot then its accompanying amplifier in a different lot. They should have contacted someone familiar with film projectors to help sort out this terrible mess.

[Steve Lee]

The entire thing is a complete shambles. I feel sorry for the person who is selling these, as I can't imagine that they would reach their full potential being sold in this manner.
As John has said, it needed someone who knew what they dealing with to sort this mess out.
There are several machines here, that by rights should be in a specialist auction sale at sotheby's or christie's to get their full potential price (£1,000s)
I would like to put a bid on a couple of lots, but the problem is you don't know exactly what you are bidding on.

[John Taylor]

I do wonder if they just want shot of it all, sad though that is.

[Carl Ingram]

The liquorice allsorts of auctions.......

[Nigel Higgins]

Intresting to see estimate is £50-80, no matter what kind of projector some clearly worth more others less .dont seem to have been valued well be intresting to see end results .i would say the films have been brought ip by a dealer who didnt want the machines.

[Jason Moffatt]

They are also selling the LPs off in batches, i noticed a few pretty rare and expensive ones mixed in with a load of worthless ones.