Does tape removal equal restoration?

[AnkurJ]

I have a Batman 1 with a taped spine. I want to get the tape removed so it does not continue to break down the book. But will doing so result in a purple label? There are enough restored Batman 1's, id rather this one not be another.

 

There is a small amount of clear tape on the outside, and a cloth like tape on the inside spine.

 

Here are pics:

 

 

Thanks,

AJ

[etanick]

since removing tape may require solvent(s), I think CGC will ding it as restoration

 

I think you should leave the book as is. Keeping the book in ideal storage condition today won't deteriorate the tape much but I will let the expert like Kenny and Joey shine in.

 

not that I recommend pulling the tape off without solvent(s) and leave a nasty tape pull but that it one way to remove the tape and keep the blue label....JUST KIDDING..DON'T DO THIS.

 

great looking copy that might be 1.8 I think.

[FFB]

Don't ever leave tape on a book like that. That's my opinion. Whatever the grade it is now, if you don't take care of the tape, the book will be more damaged when you sell it than when you bought it.

 

CGC does not consider tape removal to be restoration depending on how it is removed. I would bet that you can get this tape removed without a PLOD if no other work was done to the book.

[TC33]

Yes, herorestoration.com or classic conservation (experienced people) can typically remove the tape with a minimal amount of very well placed solvents and it should not get a purple label. (doing a full solvent bath is where you get a purple label and they would be smart enough not to do that to this book) These same people will tell you to remove the tape every time because they have seen the extensive damage tape does to a book over time and it is not pretty. Mike at hero restoration will also give that book a great press, spine roll removal that will bump up the appearance significantly. (all conservation work, Not restoration)

 

You are not in the market to sell or trade are you?

[AnkurJ]

Nope, not for sale. Sorry!

I bought it a number of years ago and couldnt replace it for what I paid.

[Ze-man]

Yes, herorestoration.com or classic conservation (experienced people) can typically remove the tape with a minimal amount of very well placed solvents and it should not get a purple label. (doing a full solvent bath is where you get a purple label and they would be smart enough not to do that to this book) These same people will tell you to remove the tape every time because they have seen the extensive damage tape does to a book over time and it is not pretty. Mike at hero restoration will also give that book a great press, spine roll removal that will bump up the appearance significantly. (all conservation work, Not restoration)

 

You are not in the market to sell or trade are you?

 

Sorry, but this is horrible advice.

 

How is topically applied solvent different then a full bath? Both saturate the cover/tape, and evaporate.

 

Not to mention there appears to be two kinds of tape on this book. The tape to the interior spine looks a lot like athletic tape kids used back in the day to tape up their comics. And is typically water based.

 

Problems arise when you try and remove tape like this locally. While you might be able to remove the carrier(the tape part) more times then not you have a lot of adhesive left behind, which is often dried and bonded to the cover. Removing this adhesive(especially on a tattered, split spine) is problematic and is typically removed with a water/solvent bath. Doing this isolated/locally can create tidelines from the solvent/water depending on the era and condition of the book.

 

And again, while I would love to see both kinds of tape removed and sealed up proper. If Ankurs goal was to get blue, I would strongly suggest leaving it as is. The damage done to the comic from being taped was done years ago.

 

Removing the tape on this book, and pressing out the spine roll would likely result in a washed, split cover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AnkurJ]

I would be fine with the book having a split cover, at the end of the day I want to simply save the book.

 

So a question to everyone reading this. If I told you I had tape removed from this book, and left the rest as is, would you consider it restored?

[AnkurJ]

Just spoke to CGC. They asked Mr. Friesen, he said tape removal is not restoration to them.

[Hero Restoration]

Just spoke to CGC. They asked Mr. Friesen, he said tape removal is not restoration to them.

 

But did you ask what methods could be used? If you want to just pull it off or use heat,(not recommended) that gets a blue label but I have been told once you use solvents, the solvents themselves are considered restoration.

 

This also doesn't include removing the adhesive which you wouldn't want to leave on the paper and solvents are the best way to remove them. If adhesive has cross linked into the paper which the stain underneath usually implies, then although removing the carrier and the adhesive helps prevent even more adhesive from migrating into the paper, leaving the stain would continue to damage the paper fibers.

 

Even if CGC wouldn’t give it a purple label because a solvent was used locally to remove the carrier and adhesive, removing the stain surely would. Depending on the solvent that is used, the cover will look ugly afterwards with blotches and tide lines unless the whole cover is solvent cleaned which will also get a purple label.

 

So, while there are probably cases where some books might be a good candidate for the goal of removing the tape and staying un-restored, you have to be prepared for the possibility of a purple label and depending on where the tape is and the damage it might be repairing for a drop in grade.

 

[TC33]

I am not seeing the same type of tape Ze-Man describes. This just looks like old and dirty tape (plus its on the inside cover, so no risk of removing art!) I need to look more closely to be sure, but that particular tape does not look like it would be that hard to remove? It could be close to the point where it pulls off fairly easy or perhaps comes off with a little heat. However, even if it is a little more stubborn, my understanding is that a small amount (not soaking) of solvents directly applied to the tape area still gets a blue label (sounds like this was confirmed by CGC above as it was once to me prior also). I have seen at least 1 example of this being verified to me, but if you don't want to take even a slight chance at that possibility, you should still get a press! And yes, there are often times you would not remove the tape if your goal is a blue label, like an entire taped spine with extra hard to remove tape etc. You could do much more damage than its worth. I was just thinking in books like this, when the tape looks like it can be removed with minimal damage (is on the inside spine mostly and the book is not going down in grade for sure). It seems like it would make sense to remove to me. (tape is very destructive to the paper and a real turn off to many people)

 

Of course, I would go full resto, looks like a great candidate, but that is just me.