Restoration process that makes colored ink look and reflect metallic? 0

[Aethnen]

Hey everyone:

Hoping to get an expert opinion here cause I'm just curious now.

I just bought an Uncanny #96 that was supposedly part of a large buy of MANY big key books and this book was in it.  I paid FMV for it as a 9.0 and when I got it, it just looks immaculate.  This seems like a stupid book to do something to but it may have been part of a larger deal where a bunch of books were restored to preserve appearances.  

It looks like a legit book overall but the cover inks look wrong.  This attached picture was the best I could do because it's plain as day in person.  In the picture, you can see how the blues in Nightcrawler's tail, Colossus' arm, and Wolverine's glove look metallic in raking light while the blacks stay mat.  All the colors look that way.  You can even see the red and gray doing it in the pic.  

It just doesn't look like anything else I have of the era.

Was there variance in the ink that makes colors look metallic in raking light like that?  Is this the result of being in a press too long?  (Buyer said it was pressed professionally before selling it to me.)  Is there a chemical cleaning process that makes colored ink look metallic in raking light?

Thanks in advance and happy holidays!

[comicquant]

If you’re talking about how the ink appears to be sitting on top of the paper that’s normal.  You’d almost have to post a video for us to see what you’re describing but my guess it’s just the ink layer.  I’m no expert at restoration or conservation but that amount of time and money would be better suited towards an X-men 1 or GSX 1.

Edited December 22, 2020 by comicquant

[Aethnen]

It's not sitting on top of the paper, it literally reflects like it's metallic.  It went back to the seller so I can't make a video of it now but you can see it in the spots I stated in the picture in variance to the other colors.  It looks fine straight on but in raking light, the colors all turn metallic looking like that.

I agree that would be better spent on a better book, I stated as such.  It was part of a large collection with many key books and may have just been done to all the books to avoid suspicion is what I said.

 

[Aethnen]

2 minutes ago, Yes I Canada said:

Is the bottom half of that book sun faded? 

It is not.  That's just how it looks when put under raking light.  The enitre cover looks almost as brand new as the top if you don't angle it.

[joeypost]

As the seller if he cleaned and pressed it. 

[Aethnen]

6 minutes ago, joeypost said:

As the seller if he cleaned and pressed it. 

As I said in my original post, he said it was pressed by his normal guy.

[joeypost]

1 hour ago, Aethnen said:

As I said in my original post, he said it was pressed by his normal guy.

Sorry, just scanned the text lightly. 

I know if two issues that would create this effect on a book. 
 

Improper press or improper storage where humidity  got into the bag. 

Edited December 22, 2020 by joeypost

[Aethnen]

8 minutes ago, joeypost said:

I know if two issues that would create this effect on a book. 
 

Improper press or improper storage where midi tire got into the bag. 

So yeah, weirdly, another very trusted presser I talked with didn't think a press could do that.  I guess I could see it happening with the ink being heated.  If that was what did it, would it result in a purple label from CGC?

Second, don't know what "midi tire" is (even tried googling it), but he claims that this book was stored in a shoe box after being bought years ago, although he says it was stored in a warehouse.  So don't know if there was a bag and board that something could have gotten into.  What is it?

Edited December 22, 2020 by Aethnen
factory to warehouse

[joeypost]

28 minutes ago, joeypost said:

Sorry, just scanned the text lightly. 

I know if two issues that would create this effect on a book. 
 

Improper press or improper storage where midi tire got into the bag. 

Humidity. 

[Aethnen]

Just now, Yes I Canada said:

I think he meant to say "moisture".

LOL.  Yeah I mean that seems possible but like a stretch.  I’d be more inclined to think improper press.

[Aethnen]

Just now, joeypost said:

Humidity. 

Gotcha man.  Thanks for the input!

[joeypost]

21 minutes ago, Aethnen said:

So yeah, weirdly, another very trusted presser I talked with didn't think a press could do that.  I guess I could see it happening with the ink being heated.  If that was what did it, would it result in a purple label from CGC?

Second, don't know what "midi tire" is (even tried googling it), but he claims that this book was stored in a shoe box after being bought years ago, although he says it was stored in a warehouse.  So don't know if there was a bag and board that something could have gotten into.  What is it?

You would be surprised what a bad press could do. 

Where was the warehouse? Big difference in a warehouse in Florida versus Montana. 

[Aethnen]

1 minute ago, joeypost said:

You would be surprised what a bad press could do. 

Where was the warehouse? Big difference in a warehouse in Florida versus Montana. 

Yeah good question.  I don't know.

[wilbil]

 i actually was thinking  he meant a midi ran over it.

damm, i am gullible

[wilbil]

anyway, disclaimer: i am by no means knowledgeable in comics doctoring. at all.

having stated this, i look at this and the first thought i have is, it was wd 40 wiped.

when i collected scrip and old stock documents, wd 40 would be used to give that sheen new magazine look.

that is my story and i am sticking to it.

hold a high intensity flashlight at 45 degrees, or so. as you walk the light across, you will see a distinct "wave" appearance. it is sort of similar to the cartwheel effect on morgan dollars.

hope this helps.

[Aethnen]

8 minutes ago, wilbil said:

anyway, disclaimer: i am by no means knowledgeable in comics doctoring. at all.

having stated this, i look at this and the first thought i have is, it was wd 40 wiped.

when i collected scrip and old stock documents, wd 40 would be used to give that sheen new magazine look.

that is my story and i am sticking to it.

hold a high intensity flashlight at 45 degrees, or so. as you walk the light across, you will see a distinct "wave" appearance. it is sort of similar to the cartwheel effect on morgan dollars.

hope this helps.

You know, something like that honestly wouldn't surprise me.  

I mean, the book looks legit. It's just that everything about it is so clean (especially the staples) that I would have been suspcious anyway but the cover inks looking off like that makes me think that it was professionally cleaned or the press was just left on WAY too long.  I mean, it's literally the best example of a non-modern book I think I've ever seen and the cover doesn't look like it's a repro.  It looks like a legit cover that had restoration done to it.  I just didn't know exactly what kind would make inks look mat head on but metallic at an angle.  

Thanks!

Edited December 23, 2020 by Aethnen
punctuation

[wilbil]

5 minutes ago, Aethnen said:

You know, something like that honestly wouldn't surprise me.  

I mean, the book looks legit. It's just that everything about it is so clean (especially the staples) that I would have been suspcious anyway but the cover inks looking off like that makes me think that it was professionally cleaned or the press was just left on WAY too long.  I mean, it's literally the best example of a non-modern book I think I've ever seen and the cover doesn't look like it's a repro.  It looks like a legit cover that had restoration done to it.  I just didn't know exactly what kind would make inks look mat head on but metallic at an angle.  

Thanks!

it used to be done a lot. the finest example i saw was the life magazine monroe cover.

stock certificates were wiped a lot. 

scrip looked like it just came off the press. large blanket notes got big auction hugs when it was done.

is is sort of a lost art, but there are still a few doctors around that can do it.

the wd 40 also helped in moisture protection. lambs wool, irish linen and egyptian cotton is used.

it is also used for wood floors and fine woodwork by old timers doing restoration, because polyurethane etc., gives off a "that is to shiny" look. it looks "off". the wd 40 is just the right porridge.

i will stop running at the mouth now. bad habit. get the light out......

[Aethnen]

1 hour ago, wilbil said:

get the light out......

Yeah, that's super interesting.  I find the whole topic of detecting restoration interesting and think I want to get into pressing my own books.  Prepared to fail a lot but learn a lot too.

I would get the light out but as I said in another post, the book went back to the seller.  He was super nice about it and he has a great rep on eBay so there's no reason to suspect him of anything.  He took it back happily.  Bad news for him though is he's got a lot of other big books to worry about now if something is off.

Good news is, it wasn't like a great deal or anything.  I paid up a little cause he listed it as 9.0 and it was a solid price.  So if it just turns out I don't know my ink variations from the period, I won't feel like I missed out on a great deal or anything. 

Next to my Uncanny 92 though, it looked totally off.  Wish my 94 wasn't off at CGC.  Easier to trust my gut though overall.

[wilbil]

he probably did not do anything but by a doctored book, and it looked good and he was not suspicious. you were. if i could have seen it in hand, i could confirm.

anyway, my mom told me i am always right.

[Randall Dowling]

3 hours ago, joeypost said:

You would be surprised what a bad press could do. 

Where was the warehouse? Big difference in a warehouse in Florida versus Montana. 

Joey, I think I've seen this effect when someone used an odd release agent during pressing (mylar?).  Does that sound right to you?