Mission Statement for The Restoration Lab

[Wonder Woman-migration]

 

The Restoration Lab celebrates its 25th year of restoring and more importantly, preserving, vintage American comic books. I, Susan Cicconi, have built a solid reputation as the nation’s premier comic book restorer while maintaining the highest ethics and standards possible. I want to take this time to thank the many customers who have trusted me with their comics over these last 25 years.

 

Over the last 10 years, the industry has seen significant changes. I have cherished the opportunity to work on torn and tattered Golden and Silver Age books and, in most cases literally bringing them back to life. Today, in some cases, those same tattered, taped and torn books with rusted staples and fragile pages are worth more as unrestored books than if they were preserved and conserved. Unfortunately without correct preservation, these books are going to cease to exist in the not too distant future. This is a sad state of affairs for the comic book loving community and future generations. I can only hope that within the next 10 years, the marketplace will change and more professionally restored books will be valued at prices worthy of their historical significance and preserved state. Fortunately for me, I still have collectors who are interested in restoring their comics so that they can continue to hold them in their hands and pass them on to their kids.

 

Today, with a better understanding of the comic book marketplace, I am ready to embark toward a more hands-on appropriate pressing service. Due to the current economic situation, I am compelled to ethically participate for the greater good of the comic book community. Since I have been cleaning and pressing books for years as part of my true restoration services, I have acquired a keen knowledge as to how this procedure should be done in order to retain the book’s original, pristine state.

 

I have diligently studied the criteria for CGC pertaining to their submission qualifications and labeling. I am aware of the various pitfalls along with significant monetary benefits to the customer for choosing this service. It needs to be stated and understood that cleaning and pressing, like restoration, is not an exact science. Drawing on my vast years of experience, my expertise in this area is second to none. Intricately weaving a multitude of factors such as types of books, covers, colors, textures, heat, pressure and humidification can either have a desirable or deleterious effect on a comic book.

 

For the above reasons, I plan to be very selective which comic book candidates merit my service. All the methods and techniques I use are safe and are within the guidelines of paper conservation. Our goal is to individually treat each comic book presented as if it were our own personal and treasured possession.

 

Susan Cicconi

The Restoration Lab

 

[comicdonna]

It's great to see you posting here Susan! We had dinner together on a few occasions. (Mike Greenwood)

[FFB]

Welcome, Susan. It is great to have you here.

 

I could not agree more about restoration becoming the kiss of death for comics, even some of those that truly need it to avoid rapidly deteriorating further or even disintegrating. Unfortunately, restoration has historically been treated as an arcane art, with the techniques and the explanations of what is and is not possible being treated akin to state secrets. This secrecy has led to distrust by the comic collecting community, and that, plus the purple CGC label (known as the Purple Label of Death, or PLOD), have given restoration a stigma that is, in my opinion, unwarranted.

 

Part of the problem is that people don't know enough about restoration to trust a restored book. An even bigger problem is that the average collector does not know how to spot restoration, so they are not comfortable buying a book that is restored or even "might" be restored. They just hear "restored," and the sum total of their knowledge is that restored books "aren't worth as much as unrestored" (duh), and they walk away without even looking to see how much restoration a book actually has had done to it.

 

Over the past few years, several people on these boards have done independent research in order to learn about what restoration actually involves, and have made efforts to inform and educate the other people here who are interested in learning about it (which is a much larger audience than you might expect). A few have even engaged in their own restoration experiments, after doing research on techniques and trial and error, and have shown the before and after shots of what they did.

 

One of them, Kenny Sanderson (known as "Zeman" on the boards), works for Matt Nelson as a restoration professional now. Kenny's work is actually quite groundbreaking and some of the results he has attained on severely damaged books has been nothing short of miraculous. Having seen work from just about every major restoration professional in the business over the past couple of decades, I can say with confidence that his work is on par with about anyone's, and better than most. If you haven't seen any of his work, you should check it out. You'll be impressed by what you see.

 

Another person who has done experimentation, though he is still in more of a gestational stage than Kenny Sanderson, is Mike (known as "MastrCntrlProgram" on the boards, and the original poster in the "Complete Restoration Experiments" thread in this subforum). Mike has been fairly active in sharing photos and detailed descriptions of his restoration experiments with collectors here. While his work is not on par with yours or Kenny's, he is improving dramatically from where he was only a year or two ago. The real value in what Mike does, however, is that he explains to people what he does to the books and gives his opinions about what he thinks went wrong when things do go wrong, and what works when it works. The end result is that the collectors who read his thread (which is one of the most visited threads in the subforum) see and understand more fully what is being done to the books, and consequently, many of them become more accepting of restoration in general, and also in having it done to books in their collections.

 

If you and the other restoration professionals want your craft to be accepted by the hobby again, you have some educating to do. It is being done on a very small scale right now. If done on a larger scale, it could do some real good toward removing the stigma from restoration under which it currently labors.

 

Some collectors will never accept restored books in their collections. That is just a fact, and I am sure you don't need me to tell you that. But most collectors who want to own nice looking copies of rare and/or expensive books are willing to accept a restored copy, or at least they would be if they knew more about restoration and weren't so confused by and afraid of it. That is your real task, in my opinion, unless you are satisfied in just doing pressing because of the financial benefits. (Not that there's anything wrong with that - it just doesn't impress me the way your other, more extensive work does.)

 

Pressing is accepted, even though it is restoration, because CGC doesn't give a pressed book a PLOD and because people generally understand what pressing is. Some purists hate it, but that hatred has not translated into lower sales prices for books even when the pressing has been disclosed.

 

CGC is probably never going to get rid of the PLOD (much to my chagrin, since I think it has done more harm than good), so the only alternative is to educate people unless you and other restoration professionals are satisfied in making most of your money from pressing and are willing to relegate full restoration to a minor subset of your practice. And that would be a shame, because you've done some amazing work over the years on some books that were truly ugly before you got them.

 

Again, welcome. I hope you stay a while and contribute your vast knowledge for the greater good of the community. You'll find that your efforts in that regard will be rewarded by more customers who are eager to see what you can do with their books.

 

The Restoration Lab celebrates its 25th year of restoring and more importantly, preserving, vintage American comic books. I, Susan Cicconi, have built a solid reputation as the nation’s premier comic book restorer while maintaining the highest ethics and standards possible. I want to take this time to thank the many customers who have trusted me with their comics over these last 25 years.

 

Over the last 10 years, the industry has seen significant changes. I have cherished the opportunity to work on torn and tattered Golden and Silver Age books and, in most cases literally bringing them back to life. Today, in some cases, those same tattered, taped and torn books with rusted staples and fragile pages are worth more as unrestored books than if they were preserved and conserved. Unfortunately without correct preservation, these books are going to cease to exist in the not too distant future. This is a sad state of affairs for the comic book loving community and future generations. I can only hope that within the next 10 years, the marketplace will change and more professionally restored books will be valued at prices worthy of their historical significance and preserved state. Fortunately for me, I still have collectors who are interested in restoring their comics so that they can continue to hold them in their hands and pass them on to their kids.

 

Today, with a better understanding of the comic book marketplace, I am ready to embark toward a more hands-on appropriate pressing service. Due to the current economic situation, I am compelled to ethically participate for the greater good of the comic book community. Since I have been cleaning and pressing books for years as part of my true restoration services, I have acquired a keen knowledge as to how this procedure should be done in order to retain the book’s original, pristine state.

 

I have diligently studied the criteria for CGC pertaining to their submission qualifications and labeling. I am aware of the various pitfalls along with significant monetary benefits to the customer for choosing this service. It needs to be stated and understood that cleaning and pressing, like restoration, is not an exact science. Drawing on my vast years of experience, my expertise in this area is second to none. Intricately weaving a multitude of factors such as types of books, covers, colors, textures, heat, pressure and humidification can either have a desirable or deleterious effect on a comic book.

 

For the above reasons, I plan to be very selective which comic book candidates merit my service. All the methods and techniques I use are safe and are within the guidelines of paper conservation. Our goal is to individually treat each comic book presented as if it were our own personal and treasured possession.

 

Susan Cicconi

The Restoration Lab

[Wonder Woman-migration]

Thank you for your post. Really interesting and informative. I have been saying for years that I need to get on a lecture circuit to better educate the consumer.

It seems daunting to me at this stage of the industry and to me personally but I recognize that it is necessary. What is restoration? What is amateur? What is professional? How do you detect it? When is it considered worthy and beneficial to the comic book? What are the materials involved? How much is too much? So many questions....I waited years to enter the pressing marketplace. In my opinion,

it is still a form of restoration but it is accepted now by most collectors. I recognize that there are purists who do not like it and I understand it completely. I just know that I have been pressing books as part of a more complete service for years so I feel that I can do it with very good results and I cannot deny that it is a lucrative part to this business. I am not looking for quantity though, I like quality books that really have specific defects that will improve and conserve the book. I still offer a Certificate of Conservation with the book as disclosure that this work has been done. I know that most people won't care about it but the books are logged into my data base with this information. Anyway, thanks again for the info on the restorers out there. I had no idea...I will try and look them up.

 

[Wonder Woman-migration]

Hi Mike...thanks for checking in.

It's all new to me even though it's been around for decades now!

I am hoping I can make a positive difference around here with regard to restoration issues. I'll try my best. I don't always have the time though...Hope all is well.

[FFB]

Thank you for your post. Really interesting and informative. I have been saying for years that I need to get on a lecture circuit to better educate the consumer.

It seems daunting to me at this stage of the industry and to me personally but I recognize that it is necessary. What is restoration? What is amateur? What is professional? How do you detect it? When is it considered worthy and beneficial to the comic book? What are the materials involved? How much is too much? So many questions....I waited years to enter the pressing marketplace. In my opinion,

it is still a form of restoration but it is accepted now by most collectors. I recognize that there are purists who do not like it and I understand it completely. I just know that I have been pressing books as part of a more complete service for years so I feel that I can do it with very good results and I cannot deny that it is a lucrative part to this business. I am not looking for quantity though, I like quality books that really have specific defects that will improve and conserve the book. I still offer a Certificate of Conservation with the book as disclosure that this work has been done. I know that most people won't care about it but the books are logged into my data base with this information. Anyway, thanks again for the info on the restorers out there. I had no idea...I will try and look them up.

 

In addition to the lecture circuit, one of the best ways to teach collectors is to post on these forums. There are thousands of collectors who post and read these forums. You'll reach a much broader audience here than you will if you go around the country at comic conventions holding restoration seminars, and it'll take a lot less of your time. You don't even have to do anything except join in and add your two cents whenever you see an interesting post on restoration.

 

The contributions you make here (even just a few nuggets of wisdom here and there) will be here forever. Ten years from now, someone will read what you write today and it will flip on a light switch for them. I still occasionally get comments from people who read restoration-related posts I wrote seven years ago. Even though the thread was ancient history for me, it's always new and informative to the novice or not-so-novice collector who reads it for the first time.

[ashsaytr]

WTTB's

[143ksk]

one of the best ways to teach collectors is to post on these forums.

 

I couldn't agree more. The amount of misinformation about restoration on the boards (in spite of Kenny, Scott, et al.) is significant. Having the input from someone who has years of experience in this field would be very helpful.

[Stronguy]

Welcome aboard, Susan. Thanks for bringing your knowledge and experience here. :thumbsup:

[G.A.tor]

hi susan!

 

[HighRadArt]

one of the best ways to teach collectors is to post on these forums.

 

I couldn't agree more. The amount of misinformation about restoration on the boards (in spite of Kenny, Scott, et al.) is significant. Having the input from someone who has years of experience in this field would be very helpful.

 

I agree with these folks. I've learned a lot on the boards but one of the biggest reasons I've stayed away from getting a book restored (which I have yet to see specific information on) is costs. I often see "its not worth the cost to restore it" but never "here's a before and after and what it ended up costing the customer". Of course no one wants their competition to know their rates, but as far as pressing goes it's not a secret these days. Anyways, there's some great before and after information on the boards and I'd love to see your input as well.

[Mr. 10%]

 

I am amazed that cgc has still not developed their plod grading criteria into something just a little more advanced than just the same old "slight / mod / ext."

 

That kind of grid is outdated in my opinion. Come up with something fresh! There are quite a few wise voices out their with interesting suggestions for a plod-reform. So what are we waiting for ... ?

[faster friends]

I am amazed that cgc has still not developed their plod grading criteria into something just a little more advanced than just the same old "slight / mod / ext."

 

That kind of grid is outdated in my opinion. Come up with something fresh! There are quite a few wise voices out their with interesting suggestions for a plod-reform. So what are we waiting for ... ?

 

Interesting How about something along the 10 point scale for degree of restoration. Such as:

 

1-3 Slight, 4-7 Moderate and 8-10 Extensive

 

A restored book have a degree of 2P for slight or 6P for moderate or 9P for heavily restored.

 

Then you could use decimals also for really detailed analysis:

 

1.5P, 3.5A, 7.5P etc...

 

All this would have nothing to do with the grade of the book. Just the extent of the Resto.

 

 

[FFB]

I am amazed that cgc has still not developed their plod grading criteria into something just a little more advanced than just the same old "slight / mod / ext."

 

That kind of grid is outdated in my opinion. Come up with something fresh! There are quite a few wise voices out their with interesting suggestions for a plod-reform. So what are we waiting for ... ?

 

Interesting How about something along the 10 point scale for degree of restoration. Such as:

 

1-3 Slight, 4-7 Moderate and 8-10 Extensive

 

A restored book have a degree of 2P for slight or 6P for moderate or 9P for heavily restored.

 

Then you could use decimals also for really detailed analysis:

 

1.5P, 3.5A, 7.5P etc...

 

All this would have nothing to do with the grade of the book. Just the extent of the Resto.

 

 

They were close to changing the restoration rating system a few years ago, but junked the idea. The plan was to have a book with zero restoration rated a "10" (because the 10 is considered a good thing in terms of grading) and a book with massive restoration would get a 0. Of course, several of us thought that this was bassackwards - picture the conversation between the confused buyer and comic dealer:

 

"What restoration score does the book have?"

 

"It has a restoration score of ZERO!"

 

"Great, I'll buy it! I love books with zero restoration!"

[Junkdrawer]

I am amazed that cgc has still not developed their plod grading criteria into something just a little more advanced than just the same old "slight / mod / ext."

 

That kind of grid is outdated in my opinion. Come up with something fresh! There are quite a few wise voices out their with interesting suggestions for a plod-reform. So what are we waiting for ... ?

 

Interesting How about something along the 10 point scale for degree of restoration. Such as:

 

1-3 Slight, 4-7 Moderate and 8-10 Extensive

 

A restored book have a degree of 2P for slight or 6P for moderate or 9P for heavily restored.

 

Then you could use decimals also for really detailed analysis:

 

1.5P, 3.5A, 7.5P etc...

 

All this would have nothing to do with the grade of the book. Just the extent of the Resto.

 

 

They were close to changing the restoration rating system a few years ago, but junked the idea. The plan was to have a book with zero restoration rated a "10" (because the 10 is considered a good thing in terms of grading) and a book with massive restoration would get a 0. Of course, several of us thought that this was bassackwards - picture the conversation between the confused buyer and comic dealer:

 

"What restoration score does the book have?"

 

"It has a restoration score of ZERO!"

 

"Great, I'll buy it! I love books with zero restoration!"

Since Resto is kinda seen as a Negative, lets use zero as no resto, then -1 thru -10 being the frankenstein of books

[Topnotchman]

Welcome to the boards Susan (thumbs u

 

 

[towards2112]

Well, finally.

[Boozad]

Welcome to the boards Susan. I look forward to reading your posts. (thumbs u

[chrisco37]

Welcome to the Boards, Susan.

 

Hope you have time to contribute to this forum. As Scott (EffEffBee) said, there are quite a few of us interested in the subject.

 

Kenny and Mike both have been incredible sources of info. Tracy Heft has also posted here (but not for a bit).

 

The more information that is out there, the better. Not asking you to reveal all of your trade secrets, but your participation would go a long way. I welcome it and, not trying to speak for everyone but, I think others would as well.

[tb]

I doubt education in itself will be enough to change the perception of restored books. When CGC introduced the purple label, they radically changed the market almost overnight without any need for collectors to learn anything new. The reality is that marketing is far more effective than education in this case. It would be much easier to cause a change in the market by coming up with a clear, simple message along with an effective way to communicate it.

 

For example, one possible message (among many) could be: "reversible procedures (i.e. conservation), like sealing spine splits with Japanese paper, should not be punished as much by CGC as irreversible ones like color touch". If a group of people with Susan's reputation could team up and approach CGC with a proposal for changing the label to communicate this message, I suspect they would listen. Perhaps a blue holder with a "7.0/2.0" grade indicating what would happen if the conservation was reversed and the book brought back to its original state. Perhaps CGC and comic conservators could even collaborate so that CGC would certify a book as unrestored, submit it to a conservator to have a specific reversible procedure applied, add the second grade, and send it back to the original submitter. The advantage of that is that a certificate like Susan's would become part of the certification.

 

The specific ideas that I mentioned are off the bat and should not be confused with the point of this post. I have been very impressed with Susan's work and agree strongly with her points. My point is that marketing is the most effective way to affect the market. If you adapt that premise, the path to a solution is very different than if you choose to go for education.