ok Restoration

[Thanos71]

It starts with selecting the appropriate book. In general, anything VG/FN or above, should probably be left alone. Rare/Important, and or valuable books in this condition, will usually be viewed as very nice the way they are, and so should be left alone.

 

Books that are in danger of being lost forever, due to brittle pages, high acidity, and in a general state of degradation should seriously be condsidered for restoration using the proper, reversable techniques. Reversable is somewhat of a missnomer, meaning the restoration can be "undone." But, who in their right mind would want to put the high acidity content back into paper, after it's been removed. It's more of a statement about the work done being current with present accepted conservation methods, and if at some later date (100 years from now), a new better method comes along, the resto can then be removed, and the piece conserved with a better method, without harming it.

 

I know some would say that anything with brittle pages is NOT, a good candidate for restoration. But, that striclty comes froma a financial aspect. If it's cost effective, or not.

 

Stigma. Proper techniques. There in lies the root of your question.

 

The terminology these days gets really confusing, especially if you do not work in restoration/conservation... whatever you want to call it. The individual terminology becomes unimportant to the work be preserved... ahh, but the collectors demand it. Is pressing resto, or conso? Is CT resto or conso?

 

I won't try to define it, or split hairs. Imo, good resto preserves works for future generations, without being harmful to the item, and without being motivated by short term profits.

 

 

[Ze-man]

Hey Miles, nice post. I pretty much agree with everything you said except for the last part about "good resto" not being motivated by short term profits.

 

I cannot tell you how many comics we work on with the owners main intent being to fix/conserve/restore the book and immediately list it in an upcoming auction.

 

Their intentions with a certain comic does not alter the quality of the work done, compared to somebody wanting to do the exact same thing for a treasured family heirloom.

 

This actually is what drives part of the resto market. People finding proper candidates, restoring them and selling them for a profit. And as a result, a lot of pos key comics that might otherwise not be restored, are getting work done that will see them last for another generation, in a more stable condition.

 

 

Or were you speaking about pressing and quick flips..if so..run away!!

 

 

 

BTW, hows the structural work coming along? Get a variety of Japan papers yet?

 

 

 

 

[Thanos71]

Thanks Kenny. I was mostly referring to the type of "resto" that's done as an attempt to improve the condition visually, without regard to whether or not it would be harmul to the comic. Things like trimming and trying to pass off as un-trimmed, or using some bleaching agent to brighten covers in an attempt at a slighty higher grade, which may ultimately cause the paper to degrade faster.

 

I don't have a problem with pressing, I press books all the time, although they are usually old books, not comics. There's no controversy over it, it's how they're made. As far as pressing comics, I've not seen any evidence that it's harmful, and nothing is being removed (as in trimming) or added.

 

Very well said about the financial aspects behind professional restoration. That is a very similar business model to the rare book market. If not for the collectors who buy restored (Antiquarian) books, we (binders) would all be out of jobs. Modern books are made by machines, and hand bookbinding is a skill/art/craft/trade, and the fact that there's still a need, is based largely on collectors. Well, that and there's thousands of broken books out there in need of repair! But, much like with comic book restoration, you have to choose the ones where it is cost effective.

 

I managed to split my piece of Japan paper, into two pieces that are now 50% thinner. Think of it like having two pieces of paper that are stuck together, but then you pull them apart. It takes a bit of tearing this way, then that way, this again, until you get it going. It makes for a much more subtle repair, and often ends up being practically translucent - but, of course you already know that! It's a little trickier to work with, as if it's too thin it just turns to pulp when adding paste. Going to have to try the method, that you and FFB mentioned, about using two or three thin pieces to build the repair, but then when you run your fingers across it, it still feeels smooth.

 

Was going to get some more paper, and also looking at inks/paints (but did not know what to get), and then I found the Marbled Paper, and it was all over.