Q: Are CGC graders "addicted" to pressing?

[divad]

I've noticed quite a few HG books (which have been acknowledged as pressed by seller) as having obvious structural defects inconsistent with the assigned grade. Consequently, I pose this question:

 

Q: Are CGC graders "addicted" to pressing?

 

This would idicate the possibility that the more books one sees that are pressed, the greater the expectation that a book should exhibit those qualities. Although pressers (and CGC for that matter) deny it, it can be readily ascertained by visual inspection (in hand, not in a slab) whether a book has been pressed or not.

 

Thoughts?

[faster friends]

Examples?

[comicdonna]

My though is, you should have waited until Friday to start this thread.

[divad]

Examples?

I don't want to step on anyone's toes. Just pick any slabbed book where the seller states that the book has been pressed.

[divad]

My though is, you should have waited until Friday to start this thread.

This thread isn't about anyone in particular (although I'm sure the deeply paranoid will chime in soon . . . )

[comicdonna]

My though is, you should have waited until Friday to start this thread.

This thread isn't about anyone in particular (although I'm sure the deeply paranoid will chime in soon . . . )

I will check in from time to time and see!

[Hepcat]

Examples?

I don't want to step on anyone's toes.

 

Why not? Go ahead.

 

 

[Bomber-Bob]

I've noticed quite a few HG books (which have been acknowledged as pressed by seller) as having obvious structural defects inconsistent with the assigned grade. Consequently, I pose this question:

 

Q: Are CGC graders "addicted" to pressing?

 

This would idicate the possibility that the more books one sees that are pressed, the greater the expectation that a book should exhibit those qualities. Although pressers (and CGC for that matter) deny it, it can be readily ascertained by visual inspection (in hand, not in a slab) whether a book has been pressed or not.

 

Thoughts?

 

I used to think I could ascertain a pressed book but, if pressed properly, I no longer believe I can. I have seen some bad presses, a flattened spine with a stretched 'Joan Rivers' look. I mostly see this on the uber graded, 9.8ish, where an attempt was made to remove every last spine tick. A properly pressed, 9.4 range Silver Age book usually looks great .

[divad]

No one seems to want to opine on the actual question presented.

[thehumantorch]

What characteristics would you identify as typical in pressed books?

[faster friends]

I would like to see or hear about examples. I have had lots of books pressed and don't recall any consistant defects common to them.

[Mark 1]

Post examples

[towards2112]

Sack up,

Post examples of what you can absolutely tell were pro and not amatuer,

and what was and was not pressed. It's Friday, and the thread will run for

about 6 weeks.

[divad]

I would like to see or hear about examples. I have had lots of books pressed and don't recall any consistant defects common to them.

 

That's not what I'm talking about at all. I made no mention of any "defects" consistent with pressing. Read my op again.

 

I understand that pressed books look nicer - hence the higher grades and motivation for pressing. What I am talking about is, now that 8 out every 10 books they get are pressed, are the non-pressed copies suffering in their assessment? This thread has nothing to do with defects associated with pressing (if any there are). My point is that on many pressed books, you can see the defects that were there before the pressing - those don't disappear, and those books are still getting high grades.

[namisgr]

CGC does love straight edges. They rarely occur on early SA Marvels where the covers commonly hang over the interior along the top and bottom. Pressing can make them nice and straight, even when they extend well beyond the interior page edges.

 

As for detecting pressed books, the superstraight edge on a book with significant overhang is a telltale sign. So are certain types of subtle changes where the staples meet the cover. So is running ink of a pen arrival date, as happens when a cover is humidified and then heated for the pressing process (see example below). It arguably is a downgradable defect, but it isn't treated that way.

 

http://www.pedigreecomics.com/auction-detail.php?issue_id=37831

[RockMyAmadeus]

[VintageComics]

CGC does love straight edges. They rarely occur on early SA Marvels where the covers commonly hang over the interior along the top and bottom. Pressing can make them nice and straight, even when they extend well beyond the interior page edges.

 

As for detecting pressed books, the superstraight edge on a book with significant overhang is a telltale sign. So are certain types of subtle changes where the staples meet the cover. So is running ink of a pen arrival date, as happens when a cover is humidified and then heated for the pressing process (see example below). It arguably is a downgradable defect, but it isn't treated that way.

 

http://www.pedigreecomics.com/auction-detail.php?issue_id=37831

 

Just to balance the discussion, it is possible to have a Silver Age Marvels where the overhang is straight and yet the book has not been pressed.

 

It's also possible to have running ink even though the book has not been pressed.

 

These are not automatic "tell tale" signs that a book had been pressed. Just wanted to throw that out there so that people don't automatically assume now that all books with those things are pressed.

 

In fact, I'd argue (again) that a properly pressed book (when a book is a proper candidate) can not be differentiated from an unpressed book the majority of the time.

 

 

 

[VintageComics]

I've noticed quite a few HG books (which have been acknowledged as pressed by seller) as having obvious structural defects inconsistent with the assigned grade. Consequently, I pose this question:

 

Q: Are CGC graders "addicted" to pressing?

 

This would idicate the possibility that the more books one sees that are pressed, the greater the expectation that a book should exhibit those qualities. Although pressers (and CGC for that matter) deny it, it can be readily ascertained by visual inspection (in hand, not in a slab) whether a book has been pressed or not.

 

Thoughts?

 

It's impossible to tell if a book has been pressed the majority of the time unless it's a poor pressing candidate or it's been poorly pressed.

 

What do you mean by "obvious structural defects inconsistent with the assigned grade"?

 

What sort of obvious defects? Do you have an example of defect vs. grade?

[namisgr]

CGC does love straight edges. They rarely occur on early SA Marvels where the covers commonly hang over the interior along the top and bottom. Pressing can make them nice and straight, even when they extend well beyond the interior page edges.

 

As for detecting pressed books, the superstraight edge on a book with significant overhang is a telltale sign. So are certain types of subtle changes where the staples meet the cover. So is running ink of a pen arrival date, as happens when a cover is humidified and then heated for the pressing process (see example below). It arguably is a downgradable defect, but it isn't treated that way.

 

http://www.pedigreecomics.com/auction-detail.php?issue_id=37831

 

It's also possible to have running ink even though the book has not been pressed.

 

Got examples that back this?

[VintageComics]

CGC does love straight edges. They rarely occur on early SA Marvels where the covers commonly hang over the interior along the top and bottom. Pressing can make them nice and straight, even when they extend well beyond the interior page edges.

 

As for detecting pressed books, the superstraight edge on a book with significant overhang is a telltale sign. So are certain types of subtle changes where the staples meet the cover. So is running ink of a pen arrival date, as happens when a cover is humidified and then heated for the pressing process (see example below). It arguably is a downgradable defect, but it isn't treated that way.

 

http://www.pedigreecomics.com/auction-detail.php?issue_id=37831

 

It's also possible to have running ink even though the book has not been pressed.

 

Got examples that back this?

 

Sure, the tons of old comics that I have seen that are beat up, low grade and that have not been pressed (or at least don't look pressed) that have running pen ink. Sometimes they have written dates, sometimes they have check marks and sometimes they have just a dot on the back cover or front cover.

 

Humidity can happen outside of a presser's humidifying chamber...a humid climate would have the same effect.

 

In fact you are assuming the book was pressed because the ink is running.

 

Having seen 100's of pressed comics with no running ink I think it's more safe to assume that the running ink is an indication of a poorly stored book than it is pressing.