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How to spot restoration....?
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326 posts in this topic

I bought it at a show in 1990 in central New Jersey. I really don't remember who I bought it from. It really is a nice copy. I don't know what the grade is but I was hoping for at least a 6 and probably a 7. I'm not particularly adept at finding trimming. I probably opened the book up maybe two or three times since I bought it, so I don't know about the coloring.

It kind of puts a damper on it. However, I do have Avengers #3 and #6 in the order that comes from the same batch as my 9.4 #4, so it shouldn't be a total loss.

Thanks for your info.

 

:o(worship)

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I was working on a book this week and thought it served as a good example of Amatuer resto, mainly glued shut tears and what to look for when buying a raw book. So before I worked on it I took some photos of the old work done.

 

Most of this may be obvious to many, but not so much to a others so take from it what you will.

 

First up shows a taped interior spine, if the tape visibly goes from front to back on the interior side, it means the cover was removed to do so. Hard to really tell in the photo, but the disclolored tape is somewhat visible.

DSC09922.jpg

 

 

 

 

The interior centerfold shows glued tears around the staples. The glue visibly darkened over time, and is rough to touch when you run a finger over the area.

The staples themselves also display the common torn paper from being removed, and not so flat look and scratch marks of re inserted staples.

DSC09919.jpg

DSC09920.jpg

 

 

 

Multiple outeredge interior cover tears sealed by glue.

 

You can see the excess glue if you hold the book at an angle, and also if you run a finger over the area as is it crunchy and rough from dry, brittle glue. When viewed in typical light this is not readily apparent. The main, obvious giveaway is that a large tear is not still loose.

DSC09923.jpg

DSC09925.jpg

DSC09926.jpg

DSC09928.jpg

 

 

 

And an exterior staple shot that had tears sealed with glue, which became rough over time. If you ran your finger over this it would catch on the sealed tears, brittle and edgy. Not typical in a worn, torn spine.

DSC09917.jpg

 

 

So if you see tears that are not loose , then look and feel for dried glue or you will end up with a PLOD.

 

 

 

 

 

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Just another example of Amateur CT for the files, unfortunately this was a book a friend was hoping to buy.

 

As you can see there are basically 3 spots where CT was applied(marker) Hard to see the vertical spot alone the spine, but its there.

DSC00474.jpg

DSC00477.jpg

DSC00481.jpg

 

And the interior cover bleed through. Typical of marker applied CT applied because the cover is thinner where the original cover ink is missing, and the marker is wet enough to actually soak through.

DSC00479.jpg

 

And a shot of the book in normal viewing light.

DSC00484.jpg

 

So, when looking to buy a comic always hold it at an off angle under a light and look for areas that have a rough texture...yet still show color. This is almost always done on black areas because it is all too easy for someone to pick up a marker and try and make color breaking creases stand out less.

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I found a black light on ebay a while back for like $15 or $20 (they had a ton) and even the best invisible color touch restoration jumps right out in the black light of a dark room. Also works for some glue restoration detection. Without this, I have seen some excellent CT that was near impossible to spot to the naked eye. A very worthwhile purchase without breaking the bank. Still wish I could get some hands on training at spotting trimming though. I see some in CGC slabs with that and I keep scratching my head how they can tell when it is done with skill (not a hack job). Sorry, the step by step look for straightness and triangle does not work for me unless someone shows me in pictures what the heck I am looking at. I am a visual person. :)

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This was an ASM 35 VF/NM until I opened it. Someone used color matched markers/pens to touch up the spine. What did strike me odd was that the black lights didn't show anything from the front. It may have been a very minor touch on the front, but bled heavy through the cover.

 

DSC04189-small.jpg

 

 

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This was an ASM 35 VF/NM until I opened it. Someone used color matched markers/pens to touch up the spine. What did strike me odd was that the black lights didn't show anything from the front. It may have been a very minor touch on the front, but bled heavy through the cover.

 

DSC04189-small.jpg

 

 

I seriously think I owned this very copy of ASM 35 as of a few years ago. It was in my collection for years and upon looking at it for possible CGC submission I saw the bleed. I also remember you could not see the CT from the Front Cover, at least I couldn't see it. I sold it (practically gave it away) with disclosure to a dealer.

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I seriously think I owned this very copy of ASM 35 as of a few years ago. It was in my collection for years and upon looking at it for possible CGC submission I saw the bleed. I also remember you could not see the CT from the Front Cover, at least I couldn't see it. I sold it (practically gave it away) with disclosure to a dealer.

 

Well the dealer sold it as unrestored raw and caught a neutral feedback explaining the CT within the feedback text in return. Was the guys name Austin T***? I was assuming the seller didn't know it was restored when I left the neutral.

 

It was $88 unrestored and was in really-really nice shape. As soon as I got it the inside CT screamed. From the outside you're right. You could not see anything. If they had used a type of semi-gloss acrylic paint for the fine lines they filled I would not have caught it by eye or under a black light.

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[font:Comic Sans MS]You would generally need a restoration expert to view your comic book, but

you will need a very good magnifier. Things like creases that have been ironed flat that maybe not be detectable without a magnifier, etc.

In general, it's always good to have someone inspect and grade your book for you. Then you know it's real value.

Preserving your comics is equally important. Polyethylene may not make your book like shiny and new, but it prevents microscopic tears that can happen from repeated removal of the book from it's sleeve. Don't skimp on boards either..again, shiny white LOOKS great, but it is a lower grade of protection. There are lots of people who can check your books for restoration. Check Bags Unlimited for supplies. They make most of their supplies right on the premises![/font]

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[font:Comic Sans MS]You would generally need a restoration expert to view your comic book, but

you will need a very good magnifier. Things like creases that have been ironed flat that maybe not be detectable without a magnifier, etc.

In general, it's always good to have someone inspect and grade your book for you. Then you know it's real value.

Preserving your comics is equally important. Polyethylene may not make your book like shiny and new, but it prevents microscopic tears that can happen from repeated removal of the book from it's sleeve. Don't skimp on boards either..again, shiny white LOOKS great, but it is a lower grade of protection. There are lots of people who can check your books for restoration. Check Bags Unlimited for supplies. They make most of their supplies right on the premises![/font]

 

You should introduce yourself in Comics General....welcome to the boards. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

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I'm prepping myself for San Diego next month. I'm going to be looking at alot of early Bronze and Silver. Is there any battery operated hand held light I can keep in my bag that could help me spot color touch. Looking at a books with poor convention lighting for me is a little spooky on a valuable book. I was thinking of just waving a light wand over the book to see if any color touch would jump out. Any help is appreciated.

 

Even in poor lighting you should be able to spot even minor CT. Most of the CT you would expect to see in this era of books is Black, along the spine line and or around word balloons etc. As Scott said look for creases that break color on either side of a black line and odds are it was hit with a pen/marker. Bleed through from being applied too heavily is obviously easy to spot.

 

Holding the book at an angle to allow you to see the cover gloss is the easiest way to spot CT, even minor does not normally have any gloss.

 

Also buy a small magnifying glass or loupe, so when you find an area you think might have been hit you can look more closely.

 

Black light type detection is not really useful because if the CT is heavy enough for a black light to show it, it is easy enough to spot with your naked eye.

 

 

I have a black light, (cheap on ebay) but they usually only help in a dark room and even then on rare occasion some forms of color touch do not jump out like others and you can miss some micro dots. I think they are great as I have seen perfect pro work to the naked eye jump right out with my black light. Best bet in a lighted convention room is to bring a small/bright flash light and using that at different angles helps some forms of color touch jump out. If awkward to do that, just hold it in different angles under the room lighting and you will see those slight variances near stress marks, creases etc. that show were people touched up the problem areas. Bleed through to inside cover is the obvious form to catch, but more and more people know that is a bad idea these days, so you have to train yourself. :)

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I have a copy of ASM 35 as well and on the inside it has similiar bleeding on it. I was going to have it pressed but the person had told me that the comic had been restored. I just took a look at it and noticed that there was bleeding through the paper. I will try to post pics just to make sure. So that bleeding does mean it was restored. Waiting for my camera to recharge

Edited by mikeggg
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That is amateur color touch. Someone filled in the color breaking spine stress with a magic marker.

 

Sorry to say, the guy pressing it was correct. :cry:

 

 

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That is amateur color touch. Someone filled in the color breaking spine stress with a magic marker.

 

Sorry to say, the guy pressing it was correct. :cry:

 

 

That is a shame.

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I'm prepping myself for San Diego next month. I'm going to be looking at alot of early Bronze and Silver. Is there any battery operated hand held light I can keep in my bag that could help me spot color touch. Looking at a books with poor convention lighting for me is a little spooky on a valuable book. I was thinking of just waving a light wand over the book to see if any color touch would jump out. Any help is appreciated.

 

Even in poor lighting you should be able to spot even minor CT. Most of the CT you would expect to see in this era of books is Black, along the spine line and or around word balloons etc. As Scott said look for creases that break color on either side of a black line and odds are it was hit with a pen/marker. Bleed through from being applied too heavily is obviously easy to spot.

 

Holding the book at an angle to allow you to see the cover gloss is the easiest way to spot CT, even minor does not normally have any gloss.

 

Also buy a small magnifying glass or loupe, so when you find an area you think might have been hit you can look more closely.

 

Black light type detection is not really useful because if the CT is heavy enough for a black light to show it, it is easy enough to spot with your naked eye.

 

 

I have a black light, (cheap on ebay) but they usually only help in a dark room and even then on rare occasion some forms of color touch do not jump out like others and you can miss some micro dots. I think they are great as I have seen perfect pro work to the naked eye jump right out with my black light. Best bet in a lighted convention room is to bring a small/bright flash light and using that at different angles helps some forms of color touch jump out. If awkward to do that, just hold it in different angles under the room lighting and you will see those slight variances near stress marks, creases etc. that show were people touched up the problem areas. Bleed through to inside cover is the obvious form to catch, but more and more people know that is a bad idea these days, so you have to train yourself. :)

Could you let me know what kind of black light you use?
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Just another example of Amateur CT for the files, unfortunately this was a book a friend was hoping to buy.

 

As you can see there are basically 3 spots where CT was applied(marker) Hard to see the vertical spot alone the spine, but its there.

DSC00474.jpg

DSC00477.jpg

DSC00481.jpg

 

And the interior cover bleed through. Typical of marker applied CT applied because the cover is thinner where the original cover ink is missing, and the marker is wet enough to actually soak through.

DSC00479.jpg

 

And a shot of the book in normal viewing light.

DSC00484.jpg

 

So, when looking to buy a comic always hold it at an off angle under a light and look for areas that have a rough texture...yet still show color. This is almost always done on black areas because it is all too easy for someone to pick up a marker and try and make color breaking creases stand out less.

Ze-man - I was wondering if you can speak to the type of (possible) color touch that has no bleed through. I've seen spinal creases at times where I find it impossible to tell whether there is CT or not - no bleed through, and the color difference may be from just the dint or damage itself, and the damage may indeed be a NCB crease. I have several books where I'm just not sure. (I think I'll buy a black light and see if this helps on any.) But I'm wondering if there are any other hints at detection when dealing with no bleed through.
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