Identifying Restoration - Images

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Please use this thread to display high-res scans of various restorative techniques.

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Amateur color touches near staple holes - top and bottom. Bleedthrough difficult to see without bending cover way back.

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Obvious and extensive ink bleedthrough from marker touch up. Do not be fooled by sellers who claim it is from printing/production.

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Extensive color touch. When colorbreaking creases "stop" in a dark area and resume on the other side of the dark area, it's not a good sign!

oxbladder · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 1480

That would be wonderful to have more whenever you get around to it or if anyone else has any to post because there is certainly not very many available images online. This is one of the reasons I think that it would be great to have such content on our site. I know many folks have heard all about the various repairs/restorations out there but they may not have come across them or even realize that their books may have such work on them because they simply do not know what to look for.

Getting more disclosure comes with an enlightened consumer

Jeff Rader · **Posted:** Oct 01, 2008 10:19 PM

Steve Zarelli wrote:

I have more... tear seals, trimmed edges, etc. Just haven't gotten around to making high-res scans.

Kick ass thread, Steve! Keep 'em coming.

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Note the dark blue spots that don't quite match the black in the lower left corner. Then look at the inside cover along the lower spine and you can see the corresponding bleedthrough.

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Piece fill with color touch, top right corner.

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Color touch and probably fill to sharpen the top spine corner and top edge. Also color touch in the green area to the left of the G.

Note the dot pattern toward the center of the cover, and how the color goes solid toward the edges. The dot pattern is the original printing inks, and the solid color is the color touch.

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

More fill and color touch on top edge. Top right corner probably a piece added with color touch. Note the deliniation in the comics code box. The "oved" in Approved and the S in Comics have been hand drawn.

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Color touch... perhaps a fill to sharpen lower spine corner. Note the lack of the dot pattern in the color touched areas.

ComicCollectors · **Posted:** Oct 29, 2008 5:22 PM

Excellent Steve. I'm learning some good stuff here.

I'd like to see some trimming and tear seal examples too.

snitzer · **Posted:** Oct 29, 2008 5:30 PM

Totally agree. This is awesome stuff Steve!

Monkeyman · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 3512

How do you add pieces? Where do the come from? Other issues of the same comic?

Truly Ignorant

ComicCollectors · **Posted:** Oct 29, 2008 10:07 PM

Posted by Susan Cicconi and Mitch Jordan from a early thread.

Susan Cicconi wrote:

One gentleman, who came with his Amazing Fantasy 15 that he picked up on ebay for a substantial amount of money, was inquiring how I could "just fix the right edge which had a little color touch." Well when I saw the book, at least a full 1/4 " of the right hand edge was sliced off and someone amateurishly tried to repair it using some non-descript white paper and magic marker coloring. The top edge had marker bleed through and looked trimmed. The cover was overly glossed and heavy.

Moderator Note: This is an extremely obvious replacement piece... in all likelyhood a photocopy that was colored in with magic marker and glued on. Not all replacement pieces will be this obvious.

[/quote]

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Monkeyman wrote:

How do you add pieces? Where do the come from? Other issues of the same comic?

Truly Ignorant

There are a number of ways to fill in small chips or spine corners using "fill." This can be paste like material or "japan paper."

For corners or larger pieces you can use actual pieces from another comic (known as a cadaver). I presume most restorers have a collection of books from different eras they use for "parts."

Mac Man · **Posted:** Nov 17, 2008 9:58 AM

GREAT thread! This is the type of stuff you scan the internet to find! I'd say I'm "ok" at detecting color touch but the tip to view the dot patterns and look for interruptions in them to detect CT is really tight.

I know we're all busy people, but whenever you get the chance, MORE PLEASE!

Golden Age Kid · **Joined:** Oct 21, 2008 9:47 PM **Posts:** 188

Marnin Rosenberg wrote:

Steve, do you have any examples that you can show us with not so obvious tear seals and cleaned covers?

Plus less obivious pieces added as most anyone could tell on the AF 15.

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Tear seal. Over time, the [non-archival] glue darkens. Perhaps a bit of color touch on the seal... hard to tell as the aging glue discolors the area.

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Replaced corner. This is an obvious amateur job.

Color touched spine corner.

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Filled in spine corner. Tear seal and color touch to the right.

Filled in top spine corner with more color touch along the top edge. In the middle right of the image appears to be a tear seal with color touch. The light area is probably a smear of glue.

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

I'd like to thank Richie Muchin for helping add this exemplar to my collection. :yeahok:

As an afternote, I sent this book to Matt Nelson to repair the glue seal that was turning brown and brittle. He did a nice job and this book is now a 7.0 with slight professional resto.

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Overall waviness that is not water or moisture damage. Most likely the result of a very aggressive pressing with too much pressure and heat.

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Note the small snags to the right edge. The does not appear to be typical production or wear damage. Strong possibility this is the result of trimming.

oxbladder · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 1480

Steve,

Thanks so much for all these images it really is awesome!

Patrick Beam · **Joined:** Jul 14, 2008 7:40 PM **Posts:** 1562

Pretty good stuff here! I have actually retained some of this knowledge

Mr. Zipper · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 6017

Obviously, the cover and inside pages were trimmed together. A "cover only" trim may not be so obvious.

Michael Naiman · **Joined:** Oct 16, 2008 7:54 AM **Posts:** 555

a comparison of the "V" shape one sees on edge with a non-trimmed comic
would add to the previous image
Great close-ups!
:applause:

Mike DeChellis · **Posted:** May 08, 2009 2:36 PM

When did trimming become taboo or has it always been. :ugeek:

They look so nice trimmed. :spaz:

oxbladder · **Joined:** Apr 25, 2007 2:21 AM **Posts:** 1480

It has been taboo for as long as I can remember. MAYBE 20+ years ago it was not frowned on as much but now it is seen as basically ruining a book. If I am not mistaken most restoration professionals, at least paper conservators, will not do it except in extreme circumstances and may be not even then. I would assume, though, that in piece replacement some trimming may occur.

There is no doubt trimming can make a book look better but it is seen as removing a piece of history. As well most trimming has been done not to actually save a book in all of its originality but to make it look better, grade higher and make more money. No matter how nice a book may look there are a great many collectors that believe that a trimmed book has little to no value. I am not in that mindset but I do not think a book could be graded better than good if it is trimmed. Harsh but true in my case.

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