Is this the ugliest ASM #1 ever?

[Smokinghawk]

If you've seen worse, post it.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=32739&item=2215045946

 

[Red Hook]

If I owned that, I would burst into tears every time I took it out to look at.

 

Actually, and I'm not a big fan of restoration, I'd love to see what a good restorer could do with this. It looks like the back of the book on TOP of this one adhered to the cover, and not the other way around, so the original paper is still there.

 

Any pro out there willing to rise to the challenge, buy it, and show us what you can do?

[OldSchoolTerry]

Couldn't anything be done to clean up the covers? If the rest of the book looks okay, maybe the resto would be worth it...

[ScarFace-migration]

ScarFace is in da Hizzo ! ! !

 

And based on da rusty staples and general appearance, I'd guess dis book has some nasty water damage and problems dat extend past da cover.

[garthgantu]

I think Scarface is right about overall damage to the book...but still, nothing a little Wonder Bread couldn't fix!

 

And I do like the idea of a "restoration bake-off," featuring Susan C., Matt N. and other pro restorers, in which each is given an identically abused copy of a particular book - say a common SA comic that's in plentiful supply - and has 3 days to fix it up....those 3 days would occur during San Diego Con, on the show floor, where anyone could spectate during the entire process.

[PedigreeMan]

Wow! I can smell that book just from the picture itself! MOLDY!

[Aces]

I like those low grade readers, but that one is too much.

 

Hurts my eyes too...

[Mr. Zipper]

What a shame. Structurally, it looks solid. Perhaps a cleaning would remove the stuck on paper.... that along with a staple replacement might bring it back to life.

[Red Hook]

This looks like they found it lying around in one of the passenger cabins on the Titanic!

[THE_BEYONDER]

ScarFace is in da Hizzo ! ! !

 

And based on da rusty staples and general appearance, I'd guess dis book has some nasty water damage and problems dat extend past da cover.

 

 

[kryptonitecomics]

I think this puppy could be restored to a fairly high grade. It's probably not a bad investment, but it's not a sure thing. Moisture damage is very tricky, but I think a professional could do wonders with the book.

[murph0]

Wouldn't be worthwhile in a profit sense. It would probably take as much money to restore it to a higher grade as it would the difference you'd receive between the grades.

 

Brian

[PUNYHUMAN]

Man, I thought my Spidey # 1 was low grade with chipping down the edge &spine, "nice colors & pages though", but that book makes mine look high grade!!!

[DDPGambit]

Are you guys kidding? This is a high-grade beauty! Definately a 9.4 aside from the rust around the staples, the scraped off color on the cover and the mold. But I don't downgrade for mold. Unless it's green and hairy.

[HeroDreamer]

So I walk into a local shop today that I hadn't been to in forever and start talking to the owner about some old beat up books that I have. He says "You'll love this" and pulls out:

 

The Ugliest Amazing Spider-Man #1 ever!

 

I read this thread last night and thought it was hillarious but didn't really pay attention to the seller. Next day...holding it in my hands. The book could have been anywhere in the world yet it was right down the street. I have to admit, being a young collector who only dreams of an ASM 1, that the book didn't seem nearly as bad in person. He actually had a second copy that's a bit prettier that I'm thinking about "saving up for". The only thing better than randomly coming across that comic was having one ASM 1 in each hand. If only one of them had been an AF 15

 

Joe

 

p.s. Joey has internet in his store so I showed him the thread. He liked ddpgambits words of praise

[Mr. Zipper]

Someone popped the BIN.

 

I will admit I was tempted to take the gamble. My thinking is that a good washing could remove the stuff stuck on the cover. Then all it would need would be staple replacement, reinforcement and pressing, and this could be a solid VG. Really only slight to moderate restoration as no pieces are being added.

 

BUT.... when I saw the rust damage around the staples on the interior pages, I was no longer tempted. Every single page would need to be built up around the staples. Now you're talking about an expensive and extensive resto job

[Red Hook]

This looks like they found it lying around in one of the passenger cabins on the Titanic!

 

I was close.....

 

[Shield]

This looks like they found it lying around in one of the passenger cabins on the Titanic!

 

I was close.....

 

 

 

HA HA HA!

[Red Hook]

[archiefan]