Appropriate services for fragile vintage comics. 0

[Jerrp]

Does anyone have experience with, or is it recommended, to press and clean a fragile golden age book, rather than just grading the copy as is? I am concerned about further damage to the book with excessive handling. I have had golden age books cleaned and pressed, but generally they were from the early 50s. I’m specifically talking about books from the early 40s which may be in a 2.0 2.5 grade as sent. Thanks for any information anyone can give!

[theCapraAegagrus]

I think the general consensus is to not advertise competitors for CGC's sister service, CCS.

If you aren't aware, CCS is sort-of an 'in-house' presser/restorer at/near CGC's location.

[shadroch]

If it is fragile to the point of being brittle, I'd be very careful.

[ThothAmon]

I have used CCS prescreen service to determine whether pressing is appropriate. It is seamless with the online CGC submission form. 

[The Lions Den]

22 hours ago, Jerrp said:

Does anyone have experience with, or is it recommended, to press and clean a fragile golden age book, rather than just grading the copy as is? I am concerned about further damage to the book with excessive handling. I have had golden age books cleaned and pressed, but generally they were from the early 50s. I’m specifically talking about books from the early 40s which may be in a 2.0 2.5 grade as sent. Thanks for any information anyone can give!

Generally speaking, a book that's described as fragile isn't usually a good candidate for pressing.

Check your books carefully for signs of brittle paper. If you find areas on the book that chip easily or fall apart from normal handling, that's obviously a red flag. I'd also strongly advise checking the staples to make sure everything is securely attached, and that the staples and spine are nice and solid as well. Keep in mind the purpose of pressing the book in the first place---to reduce or eliminate flaws that don't break color. If your books are low grade to begin with, there's a good chance there are numerous flaws that won't be improved by pressing. If you do find some worthy candidates, it's wise to take clear photos of what they look like before you send them to CCS for pressing. Obviously, it's important to have visual proof of their condition in case something goes wrong. Moreover, if a book is even slightly fragile, it never hurts to put a Fragile note or sticker on the bag. Like the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure...

I hope this helps, and good luck...   

[Tony S]

I'm echoing what Lion's Den said but just a different flavor. 

A GOOD pressing service is going to advise against, perhaps even refuse to press a fragile comic book. Because if the book really is fragile there WILL BE damage.  Depending on how fragile, there could also easily be damage during grading and encapsulating the book.  The restoration expert has to open the book wide, looking for glue and such along the centerfold and inside the spine of the cover. Graders have to look at each page for for missing pieces and other defects. And the book is being handled during the encapsulation step. 

Once the book is finally encapsulated, it is a lot safer from handling damage. But fragile is fragile and pressing is almost certainly a really bad idea. 

[The Lions Den]

9 minutes ago, Tony S said:

I'm echoing what Lion's Den said but just a different flavor. 

A GOOD pressing service is going to advise against, perhaps even refuse to press a fragile comic book. Because if the book really is fragile there WILL BE damage.  Depending on how fragile, there could also easily be damage during grading and encapsulating the book.  The restoration expert has to open the book wide, looking for glue and such along the centerfold and inside the spine of the cover. Graders have to look at each page for for missing pieces and other defects. And the book is being handled during the encapsulation step. 

Once the book is finally encapsulated, it is a lot safer from handling damage. But fragile is fragile and pressing is almost certainly a really bad idea. 

Words of wisdom...

[namisgr]

On 6/18/2019 at 2:34 PM, Jerrp said:

Does anyone have experience with, or is it recommended, to press and clean a fragile golden age book, rather than just grading the copy as is? I am concerned about further damage to the book with excessive handling. I’m specifically talking about books from the early 40s which may be in a 2.0 2.5 grade as sent. Thanks for any information anyone can give!

You didn't mention why you're considering having these comics pressed and graded.  If you intend to keep them in your collection, perhaps a mylar bag and archival fullback backing board are your best option for preservation.  If, on the other hand, you're looking to sell and want the added value of a restoration check, then I second the ideas mentioned above about having your service of choice evaluate each comic for its fragility and, if it's where you want to proceed, suitability for pressing and encapsulation.

 

Edited June 20, 2019 by namisgr