I just think given what it is/was it would have been nice to have remained complete, even if sold, sell it for a profit, but as a whole especially given the story. Its certainly worth more than you paid for it complete that's as sure as eggs is eggs.
There history is Formidable, the quality second to none, whether the story of how the first 6 mtb frames were built is true or not I doubt I will ever now, but you have one, and to be fair, it will always always be worth more than you paid IMHO. If we had a MTB museum in the UK, this would be on display.
And extract from a club member.....(ref website)
"You went in through a wicket gate in large double garage type doors. To us, as new enthusiasts, it was entering heaven - but when we looked at the club bikes to be seen hanging in the workshop we knew we had to get one. There were all sorts of equipment hanging on the walls and we used to watch the careful filing of the lugs, to produce attractive designs, before they were assembled and brazed up as frame and forks".
It was something to have a Merican, it was something else to have a Mercian Mountian bike, it just didn't happen.....! Did you take any good pics of it before dis-assembly,...? I don't even think they have a picture of it on there website, im sure they would appreciate that...?