I just got my grail and now wondering what I could do to improve it 3 3

[William-James88]

Ok, so I had an opportunity to own a Master Comics 25 within my budget and it now came in.

It is slabbed by voldy, I bought it that way (very few copies out there known to exist, I couldnt be too picky) and the person who slabbed it didn't press it. When held up this book has markings all over it like it was under a paper that someone wrote on. A press would have done wonders. Plus, a small amount of colour touch was found and thus this is considered a restored book (slight amateur). I am trying to figure out where this colour touch is. By passing a light over it, nothing is apparent aside from a rub found on the lower right. But it doesn't look like something I would call a colour touch so I am not sure if this is what they are referring to. And if it is, I don't know if CGC would call it that as well, or if this book would get a blue label with CGC even if there was slight colour touch (there is a treshold where for these kinds of books, some slight colour touch will not get purple). So basically, I got this beautiful book and I want it to shine as well as it can, be the most it can be and I am not too sure what I should do next. Any help is welcome.

 

 

 

Edited August 16, 2020 by William-James88

[Stingrayiii]

A professional press would do it wonders. Look at Hero restoration, I prefer them they do an great job. https://herorestorationcomics.com/

[onlyweaknesskryptonite]

Congratulations on the awesome book!

Another good option would be @joeypost

[theCapraAegagrus]

Congrats on getting your "grail".

That bottom-right corner could be considered "color touch" because it helps conceal the crease.

Get it pressed, and get it pre-screened by someone for restoration removal.

[1950's war comics]

great grail ! now you can start sending some PM"S to those in the know for advice, and to coordinate on improving it ...

[KCOComics]

First off, congratulations.  

It looks like a beautiful copy.  I bought a restored grail earlier in the year and got great advice from Kenny Sanderson on what to do with it. 

So I concur with others. Consult guys like Kenny and Joeypost for the best advice. 

[joeypost]

3 hours ago, KCOComics said:

First off, congratulations.  

It looks like a beautiful copy.  I bought a restored grail earlier in the year and got great advice from Kenny Sanderson on what to do with it. 

So I concur with others. Consult guys like Kenny and Joeypost for the best advice. 

I use Kenny for all my restoration removal needs. 

[Mr bla bla]

I heard around here that Volde slabbing is considered an extreme no-go?

[BFN VIC]

Hello ,

I'm a new member and I have been trying to value a Comic I have . There is very little info available on line and I can not seem to find another to compare it to. I want to get it graded but I'm not sure of it's value. Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Randall Dowling]

I absolutely would do nothing to this book.  I don't know why you'd want to shake the dice on popping a staple or centerfold just to raise the grade to maybe, maybe a 4.5.  It's a great book.  Not everything should be smashed.  

[allthingskryptonite]

30 minutes ago, Randall Dowling said:

I absolutely would do nothing to this book.  I don't know why you'd want to shake the dice on popping a staple or centerfold just to raise the grade to maybe, maybe a 4.5.  It's a great book.  Not everything should be smashed.  

What about restoration removal if it's possible?

[Randall Dowling]

1 hour ago, allthingskryptonite said:

What about restoration removal if it's possible?

If you're planning on selling it right away, then maybe.  But I'm not a fan at all of scraping covers and leaving white scars where there was color touch.  Otherwise, if you're going to keep it, why mess with it?  

[William-James88]

4 hours ago, Randall Dowling said:

If you're planning on selling it right away, then maybe.  But I'm not a fan at all of scraping covers and leaving white scars where there was color touch.  Otherwise, if you're going to keep it, why mess with it?  

It would be nice to own a four figure book I only spent a few hundred on. And there are so few copies of this book around that I would like my particular copy to reach its full potential.

[Randall Ries]

40 minutes ago, William-James88 said:

It would be nice to own a four figure book I only spent a few hundred on. And there are so few copies of this book around that I would like my particular copy to reach its full potential.

Is getting a purple label helping it reach its full potential? I have nothing against a slightly restored book. How much of a value boost is there really going to be if it goes into a purple holder? I can see getting recent books pressed and all, but GA books as nice as that one and as few that are showing up for sale? Not for me. When I buy a golden age book I really have coveted, I make my mind up when I buy it it is what it is. I might get it and wait for a nicer copy in the future but I will not mess with it. From where you are standing, I have to wonder if you get stuff done to it if you will be happy with the results. Scraping off color touch? That would drive me into fits of OCD. All I would see is that thick white spot where there used to be color. I'd just keep it and enjoy it and maybe find out from an expert whether or not there IS any color touch.

[William-James88]

15 minutes ago, Randall Ries said:

Is getting a purple label helping it reach its full potential? I have nothing against a slightly restored book. How much of a value boost is there really going to be if it goes into a purple holder? I can see getting recent books pressed and all, but GA books as nice as that one and as few that are showing up for sale? Not for me. When I buy a golden age book I really have coveted, I make my mind up when I buy it it is what it is. I might get it and wait for a nicer copy in the future but I will not mess with it. From where you are standing, I have to wonder if you get stuff done to it if you will be happy with the results. Scraping off color touch? That would drive me into fits of OCD. All I would see is that thick white spot where there used to be color. I'd just keep it and enjoy it and maybe find out from an expert whether or not there IS any color touch.

Thanks for the thoughtful post. I wouldn't want a purple holder at all. And yes, one of my main questions here was if this would be considered colour touch by CGC and give me a purple label or blue label and how to determine that.It's definitely something I have to find out. I would rather this be blue. If purple, then there is no use to change the slab from as it is now. But this book in a blue label would definitely benefit in a value boost.

I don't know if I would be happy with the result. I know I'd preffer the book not to have all those engraved markings and look smoother (especially since that is an aspect which was not described nor properly shown when I purchased it initially), but scraping it does make me wince.

Edited August 16, 2020 by William-James88

[William-James88]

Turns out that blotch at the bottom right can't be the colour touch, all copies have it

I found this image from heritage, and it's the only graded copy they ever sold. Coincidentally, it was a blue label that also had slight colour touch: https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/master-comics-25-fawcett-publications-1942-cgc-fn-vf-70-cream-to-off-white-pages/a/121909-11901.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515

[Jeffro.]

On 8/12/2020 at 11:25 PM, William-James88 said:

It is slabbed by voldy, I bought it that way (very few copies out there known to exist, I couldnt be too picky) and the person who slabbed it seemed to not know what they were doing. Not that sending it to voldy is bad per se, but when held up this book has markings all over it like it was under a paper that someone wrote on. A press would have done wonders.

I know that in this 'press everything' age we live in, it's difficult to believe but there are still collectors out there who don't and won't press books. I have no idea if that was the case here, but stating that the person who slabbed it "seemed to not know what they were doing" is more than a little presumptuous, don't you think?

Edited August 16, 2020 by Drunken Android

[Bird]

sweet book!

[William-James88]

1 hour ago, Drunken Android said:

I know that in this 'press everything' age we live in, it's difficult to believe but there are still collectors out there who don't and won't press books. I have no idea if that was the case here, but stating that the person who slabbed it "seemed to not know what they were doing" is more than a little presumptuous, don't you think?

It wasn't the case here. This book belongs to a collection that was all sent to voldy right away to then be sold. I do agree that my wording is not great, and I edited accordingly.

Edited August 16, 2020 by William-James88

[Randall Dowling]

4 hours ago, William-James88 said:

I would like my particular copy to reach its full potential.

It already has.    Anything you do to it from here is going the other way.  I've owned many of the Raboy Masters and I can tell you that if I was interested in this one, I would pay more for it now, in it's current state, than I would after you get done putting it through the ringer.  Once you've smashed it and whatever else you have in mind, I would pay considerably less, if I would pay anything at all.

I don't like books that have been messed with.  And I'm far from alone in this.  I'm telling you, actual experienced collectors buy the book, not the label.  

Last, this isn't that rare of a book.  If you're patient and resourceful, you can find a legitimate 6.0 or whatever grade you have in mind.  It may take you a year or so, but it will be much better to invest your money into the upgrade rather than paying others to tinker with this copy.