Finger Print ink Smudge 0

[grayzr]

Finger Print ink Smudge

I have 2 questions.

First, is it possible to remove or at the very least reduce the smudge of ink left by a fingerprint smudges on a non white background?

Doing this of course without removing any yellow ink in this case.

second, How much does a small ink/fingerprint smudge effect the grade of a book? Especially if it is on the back cover.

Here is an example of Tomb of Dracula #10, the smudge is at the lower right corner near the writing and the other is in between the white and yellow boarder in the center of the back cover.

Edited April 21, 2017 by grayzr

[Tony S]

Your second question no one can really answer. There are no guidelines or formula  for "this defect deducts this much". If the book was a 7.5 otherwise - and I think that is a possibility - then a couple of finger print smudges may not have affected the grade at all. Or very little.  You can't grade books from pictures and especially from pictures of a book encased in two thick layers of plastic. But it looks like your TOD 10 has some significant bends through the book - most visible picture wise at the bottom right quarter of the back cover.  Your unstated question is I believe how much would the grade improve if the fingerprints/smudges were not there. The answer might be no improvement.  The book has other defects that result in the 7.5 grade. 

As for fingerprints. If you can see an actual fingerprint - actual ridges like what cops would use to ID a perp - those cannot be removed or lightened. If it really is an indistinct smudge, sometimes that can buffed out or lightened.  It helps to understand how the fingerprints happen. Most of the time they are not dirt that can be cleaned off.  Comics are printed with oil based inks and our fingers are naturally a little oily. The ink on our fingertips can sometimes mix with and soften the ink on the paper, leaving a distinct print or a smudge.  This is why the few pictures you see of pros grading books or checking for restoration they are wearing white cotton gloves. 

Again - cannot say with any certainty just from a few pictures in a slab. But the fixable defects on the book are more likely  the bends I see on the book.  A good pressing service could take a look and offer an assessment. 

[Tony S]

Your second question no one can really answer. There are no guidelines or formula  for "this defect deducts this much". If the book was a 7.5 otherwise - and I think that is a possibility - then a couple of finger print smudges may not have affected the grade at all. Or very little.  You can't grade books from pictures and especially from pictures of a book encased in two thick layers of plastic. But it looks like your TOD 10 has some significant bends through the book - most visible picture wise at the bottom right quarter of the back cover.  Your unstated question is I believe how much would the grade improve if the fingerprints/smudges were not there. The answer might be no improvement.  The book has other defects that result in the 7.5 grade. 

As for fingerprints. If you can see an actual fingerprint - actual ridges like what cops would use to ID a perp - those cannot be removed or lightened. If it really is an indistinct smudge, sometimes that can buffed out or lightened.  It helps to understand how the fingerprints happen. Most of the time they are not dirt that can be cleaned off.  Comics are printed with oil based inks and our fingers are naturally a little oily. The ink on our fingertips can sometimes mix with and soften the ink on the paper, leaving a distinct print or a smudge.  This is why the few pictures you see of pros grading books or checking for restoration they are wearing white cotton gloves. 

Again - cannot say with any certainty just from a few pictures in a slab. But the fixable defects on the book are more likely  the bends I see on the book.  A good pressing service could take a look and offer an assessment. 

[grayzr]

Those bends you see on the bottom are all glare unfortunately due to the slab being almost impossible to photograph in day light. Ironically enough the one bend that cannot be seen is the one going across the book. It's right where the smudge is and goes completely across. There seems to be no color break or damage to the fibers of the paper that could be pressed out. Other than that the book is flat and clean. After reading your post I took another look at the smudge and it's looking more like a smudge because there is no finger print pattern on it. It seems like something, not a human finger caused that smudge. Does that change the situation? Is it more or less effective on grade and can it be reduced?

[Tony S]

For pressing purposes, you do not want any color breaks or paper damage. 
Smudge or actual print any affect on grade is probably about the same. If your TOD 10 is otherwise a 7.5, a couple of fingerprints/smudges are probably not affecting the grade. I have seen a few 9.0's with a couple of fingerprints or smudges. 

If you don't have them, you might benefit from purchasing the grading notes and see what else is noted as defects. 

Link

https://www.cgccomics.com/grading/verify-cgc-comic.aspx?cgc-comic-cert=1341585018&grader-notes=yes