Some things are especially difficult to appraise. Auction houses and appraisers use comparables to evaluate an item’s current value, looking up what similar items have sold for in the past to gauge the current market and potential interest.
Terrence Hicks recently brought an item to the Michigan Design Center in Troy that fell into that challenging category.
“My stepfather’s father gave it to me,” he told expert Brian Thomczek of the unusual 16mm industrial projector he brought along to the event.
Made by Bell and Howell, it dated to 1931 and had a commercial purpose, the appraiser shared with Hicks and others gathered for the event.
“This is certainly one of the more unusual things that has been brought in for evaluation,” he added.
According to the website encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org, “Bell & Howell Co. was incorporated in 1907 by Albert Howell, a film projector inventor, and Donald Bell, a movie projectionist working in northern Illinois. From its headquarters in suburban Skokie, Bell & Howell made equipment used in the motion picture industry. It introduced an innovative all-metal camera in 1912 and a home movie camera in the 1920s, helped to make 35-millimeter film the industry standard, and served as a leading supplier to Hollywood. By 1925, when Bell & Howell had about 500 employees at its Larchmont Avenue plant, annual sales had reached $1 million. During World War II, a workforce of 2,000 made gun cameras and other optical equipment for the military. After the war, the company expanded into microfilm equipment and other products.”
Thomczek said there are collectors of “just about everything,” and that he thinks there would be a market for the piece. “This could be used as an art piece or just a cool display,” he told Hicks. “There are definitely movie and camera buffs who collect this stuff.”
He valued it at $300-$500 and up, noting that rare models “could be worth thousands to the right person.” Hicks said that he doesn’t have a use for it and will probably sell it.
About this item
Item: 1931 industrial projector
Owned by: Terrence Hicks
Appraised by: Brian Thomczek
Estimated value: $300 and up, at auction
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Trash or Treasure: Is your old projector worth money? Expert weighs in
Reporting by Khristi Zimmeth, Special to The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Khristi Zimmeth, Special to The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
