Should smell effect a grade? 0

[shadroch]

I've got a nice looking Avengers 2 that I would guess would grade out at about a 5.0-5.5. The problem is it smells bad. In addition to the dank, mildew smell you occasionally find, this book has a smoke smell , as well.While the mildew smell is fairly slight when you open the book, the smoke smell is noticeable if the book is closed and on a table a few feet away. In fact, it transfers to your hands with slight handling.  I imagine the book was near a fire, as opposed to it being cigarette smoke, but can't be sure.

If I put the book in a mylar, and then into a previously cracked slab, it isn't noticeable  but do you think it should take a hit on the apparent grade?

[joeypost]

Odors will have an impact on the book, especially smoke and mold. There are steps to help remove odors, I am sure there is an existing thread about it somewhere.

[shadroch]

15 minutes ago, joeypost said:

Odors will have an impact on the book, especially smoke and mold. There are steps to help remove odors, I am sure there is an existing thread about it somewhere.

I've had this book for several years and have tried many ways to remove the smell. The mildew smell was a bit worse but the smoke is just as strong.

[joeypost]

3 minutes ago, shadroch said:

I've had this book for several years and have tried many ways to remove the smell. The mildew smell was a bit worse but the smoke is just as strong.

IIRC it involves opening the book to the centerfold. laying it flat in a large container and add charcoal or baking soda. You can put the baking soda or charcoal in a small container so you can change it out periodically.  It may take a month or longer. 

[Mercury Man]

Marlboro Pedigree? 

[Lamborghinikid]

I have a nice Avengers 43 that is a solid 8.0 book but when you take it out of the bag the smell of mothballs will knock your socks off !

[theCapraAegagrus]

Should it? Yes, IMO.

[ThothAmon]

22 minutes ago, theCapraAegagrus said:

Should it? Yes, IMO.

Up or down?

[ThothAmon]

13 hours ago, Lamborghinikid said:

I have a nice Avengers 43 that is a solid 8.0 book but when you take it out of the bag the smell of mothballs will knock your socks off !

The first collection I bought (when I was 12) was a late 50’s/early to late 60’s group of about 250 books that had been in a cedar chest with lots of mothballs for 20 years. Smell was/is fantastic. As to your question, a few have been graded by CGC with no deduction for smell. Here’s one of them. 
 

[theCapraAegagrus]

21 minutes ago, ThothAmon said:

Up or down?

Depends on what the smell is on which book.

[comicginger1789]

What have you tried to remove it?

My method is baking soda and dryer sheets. Get an airtight container. Place 3-4 dryer sheets in the interior pages (dont worry the sheet will not harm the paper). Then, wrap the comic in tissue paper. Next, surround it with 2-3 cups of baking soda. Leave in container for 2-3 weeks. 

I find this treatment eliminates most odours nearly 100%. My most recent success was a run of Red Wolf comics that my wife could smell as I was packaging them up for this cleaning. I left them in for 4 weeks partially because I forgot but they are smelling lovely now!

Edited November 9, 2020 by comicginger1789

[The Lions Den]

18 hours ago, shadroch said:

I've got a nice looking Avengers 2 that I would guess would grade out at about a 5.0-5.5. The problem is it smells bad. In addition to the dank, mildew smell you occasionally find, this book has a smoke smell , as well.While the mildew smell is fairly slight when you open the book, the smoke smell is noticeable if the book is closed and on a table a few feet away. In fact, it transfers to your hands with slight handling.  I imagine the book was near a fire, as opposed to it being cigarette smoke, but can't be sure.

If I put the book in a mylar, and then into a previously cracked slab, it isn't noticeable  but do you think it should take a hit on the apparent grade?

As far as CGC is concerned, no...

[davidtere]

I bought a collection that had heavy mothball smell and I placed each comic between pages of regular newspaper. The newspaper absorbed the smell. I switched the newspaper out every couple of days. It took about a week but the newspaper did the trick. I did the same thing with a collection of OA that I had purchased. I guessed that the artist was a heavy smoker as all of the pages smelled like cigarette smoke. I had success with this, although it took a couple of weeks to work

[alexgross.com]

after all the shows i've attended, searching longboxes next to sweaty fat dudes, i am of the opinion that the smell of the person submitting should affect the grade.

[Lamborghinikid]

3 hours ago, ThothAmon said:

The first collection I bought (when I was 12) was a late 50’s/early to late 60’s group of about 250 books that had been in a cedar chest with lots of mothballs for 20 years. Smell was/is fantastic. As to your question, a few have been graded by CGC with no deduction for smell. Here’s one of them. 
 

I love the Munsters ! I bought that entire statue line that Tweeterhead came out with a few years ago. 

[B2D327]

Hmmmm, would it affect the grade of books printed with a “scratch and sniff” cover if they presented as a 9.8 but no longer had the smell (like a first Hobgoblin w/o tatooz)? Would doctoring with a dab of Axe body spray be considered restoration if detected? 

[serling1978]

Idk about comics, but it definitely affects the way I grade people. 

[PMP]

On 11/8/2020 at 12:47 PM, shadroch said:

I've got a nice looking Avengers 2 that I would guess would grade out at about a 5.0-5.5. The problem is it smells bad. In addition to the dank, mildew smell you occasionally find, this book has a smoke smell , as well.While the mildew smell is fairly slight when you open the book, the smoke smell is noticeable if the book is closed and on a table a few feet away. In fact, it transfers to your hands with slight handling.  I imagine the book was near a fire, as opposed to it being cigarette smoke, but can't be sure.

If I put the book in a mylar, and then into a previously cracked slab, it isn't noticeable  but do you think it should take a hit on the apparent grade?

I would send it in and get it pressed and graded and slabbed.  the book will be purified to some extent and in the slab there would be no outward odor.

[marvelmaniac]

If it has the smell of degrading paper it should get a special label stating...

"Old Comic Book Smell" with a warning that states..."Smell Can Be Addictive"

Ummmm. Old Comic Book Smell