We raided an antiques store when dressing a set for my friend’s first feature film, Cut Up. One of the things we snagged was a crib toy, a baby that would hang by a string over a baby’s crib. It was so creepy-looking that I bought it from the antiques dealer after the shoot.
I was told by the proprietor that the toy was fromthe 1920s, and that it was made of cellulose. He said that it was dangerous, since it was highly flammable and could even explode if given a hard enough shock. I find it hard to believe that a crib toy would be made of nitrocellulose. :dubious: (Although I do know that many things were made of the stuff early on.) I reckon it must be some other kind of cellulose.
But I’m curious: Is it at all possible that it’s made of nitrocellulose, and not some innocuous kind of cellulose?
Not only possible but highly probable. It is the same chemical compound as gun cotton or rifle power. It will burn very rapidly if exposed to a heat source or flame. Motion picture films were taken and printed on the stuff and require special handling for safety. Later other plastic films were used and currently most mp’s are distributed digitally.
According to James Burke’s series (Connections, I think), nitrocellulose was invented as an artificial substitute for elephant ivory, for the manufacture of billiard balls and the like. In large bulk forms, I think it would’ve been hard to light. But when finely ground or powdered, it ignites and flares rapidly and brightly and with little residue. (Making movie film out of this stuff – very thin and placed near high temperature heat sources – was just asking for trouble). So if your nitrocellulose item is relatively thick there’s less danger of flame.
I’d be careful, just the same.
Apparently the nitrocellulose used for making billiard balls and screwdriver handles was less highly nitrated than that used as a propellant explosive, although it’s still highly flammable.
I doubt your crib toy will explode on impact or with friction (the yarchive thread reports it took a couple of seconds in a gas flame to ignite a celluloid screwdriver handle.)
