Suspense Comics #1 Restore or Not?

[pinball]

Ok guys, I just purchased a Suspense Comics #1 off of Dark Knight. He graded it at 2.5 and I completely agree. My question is would you have it restored to a VF OR

 

Leave it alone and send it to CGC.

 

The book has beautiful colors and plenty of gloss left on the cover. Pages are cream to off white. I lean more toward off white.

 

Has a 2" split seam at top of cover and off course a few pieces missing as you see in scan.

 

Back cover is tanning with small piece missing at top.

 

If you lean toward restoring who would be the best to send it to?

 

 

[szelim]

Send pics of the front and back and any interior pages that you might want worked on to Matt Nelson. He can give you an assessment of what can be done and an estimate of what grade it'll end up as.

[PovertyRow]

The bottom line is this - what would be your reason to consider restoration? Why are you thinking about restoring it?

[pinball]

I guess value. In the long run would it be better to have it restored to a high grade or leave alone at a low grade. Either way I am going to send it to CGC. I like knowing that it is protected within the slab. I have no plans of selling soon, just thinking of the future.

[143ksk]

In the current market, the only reason to have a book restored is if you want a nicer looking copy for your personal collection.

 

Otherwise, you should keep it as is. You can always have it restored at a later date, but you can't undo moderate to extensive restoration...

[Ze-man]

Really nice book, but as Steve said since your goal is more value driven I think you should leave it alone. If you were to compare the cost of having the work done( assuming it would need mod/ext) versus what this book would be worth once restored, it is not significant enough to warrant it imho.

 

On the other hand if you were going to keep the book I could see at least getting the spine/staple area fixed so you could handle it safely for years to come without fear of it incuring further damage.

 

Whatever you decide to do , you will still have a very nice book.

 

Good luck.

 

Kenny

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dr. K]

It seems to me that for the cost of what would be fairly extensive restoration you'd be better off to sell that copy, combine the sale money with what restoration would cost and buy one in higher grade. But given that you bought that copy, which really is very nice, I would just keep it as is and enjoy. My

[Point Five]

It seems to me that for the cost of what would be fairly extensive restoration you'd be better off to sell that copy, combine the sale money with what restoration would cost and buy one in higher grade.

Yep! Exactly right. I learned that the hard way once, spending enough money to restore a low-grade book that I could have just bought a nicer copy. I suspect others here have as well.

 

This would be a pricey resto job involving piece replacement & color matching. And the tanning/paper weakness will likely put a cap on the apparent grade anyway.

 

Definitely, leave as is & enjoy. (thumbs u

[szelim]

If it were my copy (and it could have been had I been faster ), I would seriously consider having the spine repaired. The only question is whether the book is too fragile for that. I still recommend having Matt Nelson take a look at some images to get his assessment - it doesn't cost you anything to do so, other than posting pictures somewhere.

 

[pinball]

If it were my copy (and it could have been had I been faster ), I would seriously consider having the spine repaired. The only question is whether the book is too fragile for that. I still recommend having Matt Nelson take a look at some images to get his assessment - it doesn't cost you anything to do so, other than posting pictures somewhere.

To be honest guys, this was a huge purchase for me. I have a FF #2 but other than that this is it. I am scared to death to even take it out the bag. To me it feels very fragile and I am afraid to even open it up alot. The cover is detached but I don't wont the whole cover to split from moving it around alot. I don't have much experience with such an old book. I am trying to determine the best way to read it and possibly take pics of each page. I will probably then send it and have it slabbed for protection.

[Silver Surfer]

I would leave it in a mylar, read it carefully and enjoy. No point getting it slabbed unless you want to sell it but I wouldn't bother spending money to get it restored because it has more value the way it is.

[airwalker]

If it were my copy (and it could have been had I been faster ), I would seriously consider having the spine repaired. The only question is whether the book is too fragile for that. I still recommend having Matt Nelson take a look at some images to get his assessment - it doesn't cost you anything to do so, other than posting pictures somewhere.

To be honest guys, this was a huge purchase for me. I have a FF #2 but other than that this is it. I am scared to death to even take it out the bag. To me it feels very fragile and I am afraid to even open it up alot. The cover is detached but I don't wont the whole cover to split from moving it around alot. I don't have much experience with such an old book. I am trying to determine the best way to read it and possibly take pics of each page. I will probably then send it and have it slabbed for protection.

 

Great book. My 2nd favourite cover in the run.

[agro23]

Read it carefully and then send it to CGC. The resto would cost you way too much for what you'd get. And that's assuming that it could even be done at all.

[divad]

In the current market, the only reason to have a book restored is if you want a nicer looking copy for your personal collection.

 

Otherwise, you should keep it as is. You can always have it restored at a later date, but you can't undo moderate to extensive restoration...

 

Heed 143ksk's sound advice.

[divad]

I am scared to death to even take it out the bag. To me it feels very fragile and I am afraid to even open it up alot. The cover is detached but I don't wont the whole cover to split from moving it around alot. I don't have much experience with such an old book. I am trying to determine the best way to read it and possibly take pics of each page. I will probably then send it and have it slabbed for protection.

 

Sometimes, I feel that this is the only type of book to slab.

[Mr. Zipper]

In terms of restoration for appearance sake, I'd leave it alone. It actually has decent eye appeal.

 

However, you may want to consider conservation (deacidification) if the paper is getting brittle. For something like this, I'd consult with Susan Ciccone.

[pinball]

In terms of restoration for appearance sake, I'd leave it alone. It actually has decent eye appeal.

 

However, you may want to consider conservation (deacidification) if the paper is getting brittle. For something like this, I'd consult with Susan Ciccone.

 

And how may I reach her?

[Dick Pontoon]

If you go HERE and type "Susan Cicconi" there she is!

 

She's nice and knows her stuff.

[pinball]

If you go HERE and type "Susan Cicconi" there she is!

 

She's nice and knows her stuff.

(thumbs u

[Primetime]

Leave unrestored! Read it, get it slabbed, then you can enjoy it in the slab w/out worrying about damaging it...

 

if you did get it worked on, I'd send it to Matt Nelson.