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ASM 1 Need advising on Restoration. Seals or pieces added????
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11 posts in this topic

Hi Guys

Im buying from a copy of ASM 1 that looks great but too great.  Im pretty sure I already see some color touches on the top of the cover where some of the ink in the webbing is really distinct.  Some of the lines you can even see under the color touch but that's not what Im worried about.  Im more worried about tear seals and pieces added.  

Can everyone take a look at the pics.  The seller even shined a light through for me on the cover.  Looks good to me but there are a few spots I wonder about.  The color looks too good as well.

Pics attached

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That appears to be a very nice looking copy.

I am very hesitant to spend big money on an ungraded comic, and I am fairly good, but not perfect at detecting restoration. My personal limit on such items is $500. 

I definitely would not pay more than 7.0 restored value for this book, even after a thorough inspection and page count, that's after 45 years in the hobby.

If it is a reputable dealer, you should be able to get a resto guarantee, but most reputable dealers probably wouldn't sell this ungraded, there is potentially too much money on the table.

Some restoration is very hard to detect, and nearly impossible from pictures.

If this is ebay, I would be extra wary, there are a number of sellers who deslab restored books and sell them as raw unrestored.

You are swimming in the deep end of the pool.

Caveat Emptor

 

Edited by Tempus Fugit
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Most of the time, you can expect an uncertified key book that looks this nice to have one or more of the following examples of resto: color touch, pieces added, cover cleaned, cover reinforced, tear seals and trimming. To me, this book looks like it's been taken apart at some point (note the enlarged holes at the staples). Also, the fact that the interior of the cover is so unnaturally white is alarming---many times key books like this will have a married cover as well. I've actually seen books with married photocopy covers that had also been color touched!

So keep this in mind if you're thinking about purchasing this book. Personally, I'd want to see it in person (or see it in a CGC slab) before moving forward...   hm

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1 hour ago, The Lions Den said:

Most of the time, you can expect an uncertified key book that looks this nice to have one or more of the following examples of resto: color touch, pieces added, cover cleaned, cover reinforced, tear seals and trimming. To me, this book looks like it's been taken apart at some point (note the enlarged holes at the staples). Also, the fact that the interior of the cover is so unnaturally white is alarming---many times key books like this will have a married cover as well. I've actually seen books with married photocopy covers that had also been color touched!

So keep this in mind if you're thinking about purchasing this book. Personally, I'd want to see it in person (or see it in a CGC slab) before moving forward...   hm

I agree 1000% with this specially a key book like this not in a slab should raise your alertness I mean it really depends on who your buying from as well. As a reputable dealer would probably have this graded and slabbed to much money left on the table for a raw copy compared to a graded one. 

is this is eBay definitely be aware. 

this book looks really good. chances of being cleaned cover reglossed de acidification reprinted or fascimille copy etc are really high. 

I would look at the signs, why isn't it slabbed the seller would get way more money, is the seller someone who doesn't know comics at all. how much are they asking is it in line with the grade you think it would be in or was it significantly less.. 

 

Best of luck and keep us updated.. 

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also looking at it closely again.. the interior pages look very tanned and the cover even the inside is spanking white. That's a little concerning. is the cover original was it taken off to clean and put back on, etc.. 

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2 hours ago, The Lions Den said:

Most of the time, you can expect an uncertified key book that looks this nice to have one or more of the following examples of resto: color touch, pieces added, cover cleaned, cover reinforced, tear seals and trimming. To me, this book looks like it's been taken apart at some point (note the enlarged holes at the staples). Also, the fact that the interior of the cover is so unnaturally white is alarming---many times key books like this will have a married cover as well. I've actually seen books with married photocopy covers that had also been color touched!

So keep this in mind if you're thinking about purchasing this book. Personally, I'd want to see it in person (or see it in a CGC slab) before moving forward...   hm

Lion, did you notice the black line on the spine? There's no "break" in the black line, a gap in the central area that's on every AS 1 ever printed? Look at this example, about 4 inches down from the top. The black line on every AS 1 printed has a gap at that same point. It's on the plate. None were printed without it.

AS_1.jpg

Edited by James J Johnson
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51 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

Lion, did you notice the black line on the spine? There's no "break" in the black line, a gap in the central area that's on every AS 1 ever printed? Look at this example, about 4 inches down from the top. The black line on every AS 1 printed has a gap at that same point. It's on the plate. None were printed without it.

AS_1.jpg

All I can say is this:  (worship)

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1 hour ago, James J Johnson said:

Lion, did you notice the black line on the spine? There's no "break" in the black line, a gap in the central area that's on every AS 1 ever printed? Look at this example, about 4 inches down from the top. The black line on every AS 1 printed has a gap at that same point. It's on the plate. None were printed without it.

You're right, of course. Somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind I remembered this flaw, but I never realized that it appears on every copy. Unreal catch, JJJ...  :acclaim:

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20 minutes ago, The Lions Den said:

You're right, of course. Somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind I remembered this flaw, but I never realized that it appears on every copy. Unreal catch, JJJ...  :acclaim:

I knew you knew that. If I didn't point it out first, you would have caught it by now. Every book has it's own mechanical printing quirks commo to every printed copy if made with that original printing plate.

So one of two things is happening here. Either it's original innerds, with a replacement cover, which now availably abound on the net in all types of quality, from poor to unreal, or it's at least color touched, as the black line has no gaps, whether from spine breaks or/and including the gap that should be there as imparted on them all by the original printing plate.

There also appears to be acrylic paint here and there and the surface looks odd, but without book in hand, we're at the mercy of images rather than closeup first hand inspection.

So at the very least, color touched and probably reglossed, and at the very worst, a replica cover on original innerds.

One thing for sure is that it's not going to CGC blue label.

Edited by James J Johnson
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4 hours ago, James J Johnson said:

I knew you knew that. If I didn't point it out first, you would have caught it by now. Every book has it's own mechanical printing quirks commo to every printed copy if made with that original printing plate.

So one of two things is happening here. Either it's original innerds, with a replacement cover, which now availably abound on the net in all types of quality, from poor to unreal, or it's at least color touched, as the black line has no gaps, whether from spine breaks or/and including the gap that should be there as imparted on them all by the original printing plate.

There also appears to be acrylic paint here and there and the surface looks odd, but without book in hand, we're at the mercy of images rather than closeup first hand inspection.

So at the very least, color touched and probably reglossed, and at the very worst, a replica cover on original innerds.

One thing for sure is that it's not going to CGC blue label.

I appreciate your faith in my instincts, but I was going mostly by the appearance of the front cover. You really should think about a career at CGC---they could use a guy like you...  (thumbsu

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