Is this restoration?

[isiTrue]

Greetings,

 

I bought a book recently that was listed as VF/NM.

I received the book, but when I looked over the front cover (on an angle), I saw some strange marks.

They look similar to restored tears that I've seen examples of.

 

The seller said that the book hasn't been restored.

 

Any opinions on what these marks could be? The underside of the cover doesn't reveal anything.

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AJD]

Bit hard to tell on my iPad, but they look like printer's creases. If so, they were there from day 1 and have no impact on the CGC grade and certainly aren't restoration.

[mackenzie999]

The question I'd be asking is, was this book worth restoring? (I'm not dissing your book, I honestly have no idea). I'm with AJD, print crease is most likely cause.

[fantastic_four]

Yea that book's nowhere close to being worthy of sealing a tear in the middle of the front cover. Pulp paper used for comics is often full of creasing and weird defects like this one. It's not exactly like a crease, but very similar to one...I've seen it a number of times before. Someone correct me if I'm off, but my understanding is that the paper used for comics starts off as a big, soupy liquid mix, and sometimes the pulp mix doesn't congeal together in the smoothest way. This looks like a paper production defect.

[isiTrue]

Thanks for the input. It's not an expensive book, but it is the 30c variant, so it's worth several times more than the 25c version.

 

I hadn't considered printer creases. After reading up on them, if that's all they are, then I'm happy. The only thing is that there are many regular creases around them as well. (You can see some in the pictures.) It almost looks like some sort of rectangular-shaped weight with jagged ends was resting on the cover. Then again, it doesn't transfer over onto the first page.

 

There are also a couple of other printer creases on the cover, if that's what they are. Those are more vertical (one goes across the first "T" in "The Celestials"; the other goes down across the bar code.).

 

I'm learning as I go, but I became pretty discouraged when I read about the many different forms of restoration that people do to books. Makes me worried when I think about the books that I purchased on Ebay.

 

Thanks again for the help.

 

-Paul

[BlowUpTheMoon]

There are also a couple of other printer creases on the cover, if that's what they are. Those are more vertical (one goes across the first "T" in "The Celestials"; the other goes down across the bar code.).

 

I've never seen a vertical printer crease; they've all been horizontal. Doesn't mean they don't exist, but I've never seen one.

[fantastic_four]

I've never seen a vertical printer crease; they've all been horizontal. Doesn't mean they don't exist, but I've never seen one.

 

Most I've seen are horizontal, but I vividly recall scans of a few nosebleed 9.6/9.8 books from Greggy that have vertical creases.

[Toz]

I know you said the inside doesn't reveal anything but could you provide a close up of the area from the inside?

[isiTrue]

I added a couple of scans to the first post. I also marked the five points that have jagged creases. There are a couple of straight vertical creases (one of which is on the bar code), but I didn't mark those.

 

I'll post a photo of the inside front cover later since the marks don't appear on the scan.

 

-Paul

[FFB]

Are you scanning at 200 dpi? If so, you need to up your resolution to 300 dpi. It's impossible to see anything for sure in those scans because of the moire pattern that results from the low resolution scan.

[isiTrue]

Both scans are at 600 dpi.

[FFB]

Maybe they're too compressed then? The photos you took were better. Try that with a little more light on the interior and you'll get a much better image.

[isiTrue]

The problem with taking photos is that they always come out too dark.

 

I have to use flash on the camera because if I don't, the picture comes out blurry due to increased exposure time. Yet the flash seems to make the image too dark... I'm guessing it's from the reflection off the cover.

 

[BlowUpTheMoon]

The area that we are calling "printers creases", are they raised, indented, or neither? It's hard to tell from the photos.

[Topnotchman]

You said the seller listed this as VF/NM which is a 9.0. The edge and corner wear alone would knock this down to about a fine+ 6.5 IMO. Plus the creasing area in the center of the cover, which probably isn't restoration. I would consider returning as not as described if it is an option.

[sassemble]

 

That book is a 7.5 at best.

[FFB]

Take them in a room that is well lighted and turn off the flash.

 

The problem with taking photos is that they always come out too dark.

 

I have to use flash on the camera because if I don't, the picture comes out blurry due to increased exposure time. Yet the flash seems to make the image too dark... I'm guessing it's from the reflection off the cover.

 

[FFB]

That book is a 7.5 at best.

 

I think it's a classic FN 6.0. Maybe a 6.5 FN+.

[Ghost Rider]

 

 

That book is a 7.5 at best.

 

I think it's a classic FN 6.0. Maybe a 6.5 FN+.

 

+1

[isiTrue]

The area that we are calling "printers creases", are they raised, indented, or neither? It's hard to tell from the photos.

 

Pretty much flat. Only the actual jagged line is VERY slightly indented.