I’m still unclear as to why clean/press is so frowned upon..
As noted above, it cannot be restoration as nothing has been added or removed, nothing has been fixed or repaired.. simply dry cleaned and pressed.
It’s analagous to a vintage car’s paint that is buffed and waxed, some scratches may be filled and visually disappear, but the original paint is still intact.. (note to buyer: had it waxed)
or
a vintage desk that has been steam cleaned with original varnish still intact.. ( note to buyer: had it cleaned)
or
my favorite argument, a fine art masterpiece that has had the “patina” of centuries of dirt and grime cleaned away revealing the true and original nature of the piece..(note to buyer: it was cleaned)
all without damaging the original and increasing appeal and therefore value without manipulating the original in any way.
Why should comics be any different?
Point of fact, the same methods for cleaning and pressing comics are the same that museums use for documents, maps, and other paper ephemera.