• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

To tape or not to tape

Started by moloch,

41 posts in this topic

moloch

moloch

Posted
Posted

Per a sales thread a book went from 1.8 to 2.5 with the addition of tape. I have a book with a spine split a bit over an inch long that I want to submit to CGC and am wondering what would be better: a 3.5 blue label or a 4.0/4.5 blue label that says "small piece of tape on cover"? Does anyone here have much experiance with books getting different grades with the addition or subtraction of tape?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ze-man

Ze-man

Posted
Posted

I just can't see putting tape on a book even if it would increase the grade slightly. And even if the book got a grade bump most people hate tape and would probably bid lower then a comparably graded non taped book.

 

It is one of the weirdest things imho about tape/resto and CGC.

 

Apply a piece of sticky tape(that will damage the book in the long run and is possibly damaging to remove) and the books grade might increase a little, but it's not considered restored even though a tear is sealed.

 

Apply archival materials that can easily be removed to seal the tear and the grade increases slightly but it is considered restored (purple label) because it was applied in a proffesional manner. But it takes a huge hit in resale value.

 

I honestly do not know even though the tear is sealed(with sticky tape), if it is upgraded or downgraded because of the type of tape used. Have you called CGC and just asked how much a taped spines grade increases because it is sealed, versus how much is deducted becase it does in fact have tape on it.

 

It just seems ilogical to not look at improperly taped books as the flaw that it is.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sakaridis

sakaridis

Posted
Posted
Tape and comics just shouldn't be.... If it is a absolute must. Use archival tape at the very least. I'd even prefer a small amount of the proper glue over tape.... Tape Hurts The Hulks Head!!!! :sumo:

I totally agree! :sumo:

 

 

And I just want to say, I find your avatar totally creepy! (albeit in a sort of cute way) :eek:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Boba

Boba

Posted
Posted

I agree 1000%. tape is a no-no. I had a FF #1 cover someone had ripped off the book and taped to a wall. The tape dried and fell off but the stains remained. Too bad, it could have made a great addition to a coverless FF#1, but the tape ruined that from happening.

 

I recently bought a comic from a dealer, who I won't mention names, seems to believe that archival tape repairs are ok. I bought a book described as having a sealed tear. The book I received had an interior repair consisting of a married piece taped to one of the pages. The dealer apologized for an "error in the listing" and offered to refund my money + shipping, so all is forgiven on that front.

 

However, I've since noticed that a lot of the dealer's listings are described as having "sealed tears" or "tape repair" in the descriptions. It seems he believes tape is "ok" as long as it's archival.

 

Needless to say I disagree with this philosophy, and when I buy from him ('cuase he happens to get good stuff) I'll always ask if there is any tape repair on the book.

 

I just don't understand how someone can think tape is ok, after all that has been learned about it's destructive properties over the long-term, and the comic collecting communities overall distaste for books with tape repairs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PovertyRow

PovertyRow

Posted
Posted

 

It is one of the weirdest things imho about tape/resto and CGC.

...It just seems ilogical to not look at improperly taped books as the flaw that it is.

 

Amen to that. The reason is also weird. In the old days scotch type tape was accepted and used by collectors, not only to seal a tear but top reinforce parts of the book, such as the staples, before damage could coour. Since this was done by collectors and was not frowned upon back then, CGC ultimately decided this kind of tape was not restoration.

 

But since the benign archival tapes are part of the restorer's kit, the use of them would be considered restoration.

 

I always thought this was whacky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ze-man

Ze-man

Posted
Posted
Since we're talking about it, does anyone have experience with tape removal? Does it require a chemical bath of some sort and does the book become "restored" by CGC-standard at that point?

 

-Rob-

 

Hey Rob,to answer you last question first. As I understand it, yes in most instances CGC would consider tape removal restoration because it normally involves some sort of solvent bath and will clean the cover on some level (mainly reduce tanning) and also result in possible cover shrinkage. So the removal of cellophane tape isn't neccesarrily considered resto by itself, its what was done to try and get it off that is.

 

Case in point, you have a piece of tape on the cover..you pull it off taking a layer of ink with you, that obviously is not restored, just damaged.

 

You take that same book and remove the tape in a more careful maner that does not take off much ink. Again not resto because you are only removing something from the cover and more then likely there are visible clues the tape was there. (tape stains/sun shadows, or worse yet ink loss)

 

You take that same book, disassemble it, soak the cover in a solvent bath to soften the adhesive..lift off the tape carrier and scrape off the adhesive... you now have the tape removed but are left with what else you want to do now that it is removed safely. i.e... the tape was probably put on there there for a reason.. to seal a split spine or seal tears. So do you want to re-seal those tears with archival materials , or leave it alone and risk possibly further damaging the tears/split. Or just let the cover dry and reassemble the book.

 

Eitherway it will probably come back as restored(cover cleaned at a minimum, or cover cleaned, tears sealed)

 

Here is a good example of the latter. I bought this book in the Marketplace for around $30 to tinker with.

 

Obviously I removed the tape, but went further and dry/wet cleaned the cover, and resealed the tear. You can still see traces of the tape stain in the whites that were stubborn, and some minor ink flaking at the top of the book.

 

ShockSus5.jpg

shockfvaftrr.jpg

 

ShockSus5bck.jpg

shockbcaftrr.jpg

 

 

The photo below gives you a good idea of just how harmful the adhesives can be to a cover paper/inks and why in most cases you could tell tape was once there.

 

I hate tape. :mad:

 

tapeoffgluestillthere.jpg

tapeandadheshiveremoved.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Boba

Boba

Posted
Posted

Take a look at this great example of Susan Ciccone's mastery, performed on an ailing copy of "All Star #2"

with scotch tape that literally fused with the paper on the front and back cover.

 

See below - note that the scans DO NOT DO THIS JUSTICE!

 

In hand the book feels like butta! The covers are tight, flat and perfectly smooth to the touch.

The interior pages (which were already off-white and really didn't need any work) are supple and clean,

with the exception of a few tape stains in the inside spine on the centerfold.

 

Having this restored book in hand, the first I have ever held outside of a slab, gave me new respect for restored books.

No way I'm going to denigrate this book with an ugly PLOD!

 

Anyone with a restored book in a slab, I suggest you liberate that baby and hold it in you hands and enjoy it.

 

Before

ALLSTARcover-1.jpg

ALLSTARinside.jpg

After

allstar2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jeffro.

Jeffro.

Posted
Posted
I just can't see putting tape on a book even if it would increase the grade slightly. And even if the book got a grade bump most people hate tape and would probably bid lower then a comparably graded non taped book.

 

It is one of the weirdest things imho about tape/resto and CGC.

 

Apply a piece of sticky tape(that will damage the book in the long run and is possibly damaging to remove) and the books grade might increase a little, but it's not considered restored even though a tear is sealed.

 

Apply archival materials that can easily be removed to seal the tear and the grade increases slightly but it is considered restored (purple label) because it was applied in a proffesional manner. But it takes a huge hit in resale value.

 

I honestly do not know even though the tear is sealed(with sticky tape), if it is upgraded or downgraded because of the type of tape used. Have you called CGC and just asked how much a taped spines grade increases because it is sealed, versus how much is deducted becase it does in fact have tape on it.

 

It just seems ilogical to not look at improperly taped books as the flaw that it is.

 

This makes not one bit of sense, imo. It's almost like you're being rewarded for using the wrong kind of tape. Nuts!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CheezyWhiz

CheezyWhiz

Posted
Posted
Anyone with a restored book in a slab, I suggest you liberate that baby and hold it in you hands and enjoy it.

 

Beautiful book! Definitely keep that sucker out of a slab. You put it in plastic and you just know you'll be itching to flip through it again in no time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Go to topic listing