The comic collector's dilema

[Bugaboo-migration]

Oh man......that is sweet.

[aardvark88]

Those pics of Chuck represent a collector's dream, not dilemma.

[FlComicFan]

the Church books were stored in a large cedar walk in closet in tall stacks. Cool, dry humidity free and likely even though they were stacked in piles they were rarely moved if at all since Edgar Church bought them. More damage was probably done to them between the time Chuck took possesion and they arrived in their final owners hands than during the 30+ years they sat in that closet

[PovertyRow]

Can we maintain the high grade quality but still enjoy holding/looking at/displaying/reading them?

 

Without question and with not a LOT of effort, but maybe a bit of expense if you live in a place like Boston or Orlando.

 

The pinnacle of paper storage is a nitrogen atmiosphere contaned under a constant temperature/humidity dark environemnt.

 

Well, a nitrogen atmosphere entails some cost and some equipment. But the rest of it CAN be done.

 

The use of air-conditioners, de-humidifers and darkness is relatively easy to create, but it will cost you something in monthly electric bills. So I guess it depends on the current and potential future value of what you are preserving (valuie here meaing both monetary and self-interest).

 

As I am in San Francsico I find the temperatures and humidity are pretty constant overall - I recall maybe 5 days in the last 4 years that the temp hit 88 or so - a RARE exception that was (except for a couple of days) taken care of as soon as night fell and the temperatures went way down again. So I just store my books in my walk-in closet in acid-free boxes. The boxes keep them dark and the general fair climate keeps things constant.

 

But even in the worst conditions, if you combine ac and de-humidifying for the bad months with the naturally fairer climes for fall/winter (or even spring if your area is so inclines) you can do ok.

 

keep in mind a lot of the high grade GA books are a minimum of 50 years old or more, and many were just lucky enough to have been kept in a relatively even environment. The Church Collection is almost a fluke due to the better conditions offered by the general atmosphere and the stack compression.

[fantastic_four]

I'd be surprised if most of the 20-year old newsstand books weren't closer to off-white in page color, depending upon the humidity. Shouldn't be any worse than that since I'd assume you don't let the temperature get too high in your house. I have seen books from the late 80s that CGC gave "cream to off-white" pages; I assume those were stored in somebody's garage or tool shed for a number of years. The page quality on 80s Marvels seems to have been worse than even that of comics in the 60s and 70s; I'm always surprised how few White-paged copies I see of 80s comics. I almost never see a slabbed Spidey 238 or 252 with White pages!

[BachelorOfComix]

Those pics of Chuck represent a collector's dream, not dilemma.

 

True indeed, but Chuck doesn't appear to be too thrilled.

 

Cheers,

 

Bachelor of Comics

[COI]

"If your answer is to buy cheap reader copies....that's fine......but blowout was specifcally asking about holding/looking at/dispaying/and reading the expensive high grade copies. Why not focus on that instead of telling me what I allready know??? "

 

Because outside of what was already mentioned, there isn't much more you can do. And I already said that if you want to look at your high grades, do so with a mylar. So exactly are you looking to hear? You yourself stated that there's no way to handle books without causing some damage to them. So instead, I merely offered up the alternative that you "already knew". So if you don't want to hear something you "already know", there won't be much reading to do here.

 

"Saying that you only handle them when grading them, taking a picture/scan, or showing them to someone, otherwise, you have no reason to handle high grade books.........is not answering the questions and concerns from the first post. "

 

I was just saying how I personally handle my high grades as a possible ALTERNATIVE. I find it funny that you of all people are so concerned with the "focus" of a thread.

 

[COI]

"True indeed, but Chuck doesn't appear to be too thrilled."

 

I guess it gets a little overwhelming when you can't take a S%$T without worrying about soiling a copy Batman #1.

[FlComicFan]

i think bad paper and many were kept 15-20 years in the same plastic bags might have something to do with it. You really should either upgrade to some mylar or mylites or change those bags every so often. I have bought collections of dealer unsold stock from the 1980's and the bags were so yellow they were almost a brown color and the books had a distinct smell and the off white or worse pages

[PovertyRow]

the Church books were stored in a large cedar walk in closet in tall stacks

 

A large cedar walk-in closet? If that is the case I have to invest in some sort of memory drugs! WHen I first read about the Church Collection back in the early-mid 80's, it was in a garage.

 

So what is the real scoop, skinny, sly, sitch?

[Bugaboo-migration]

Because outside of what was already mentioned, there isn't much more you can do. And I already said that if you want to look at your high grades, do so with a mylar. So exactly are you looking to hear?

See povertyrows post......that's the type of info that's benificial.

 

Keep in mylar and don't touch isn't much advice to this group.

 

I find it funny that you of all people are so concerned with the "focus" of a thread.

I was only focused on this because the question was clear in the first post and for some reason.....you just weren't getting it.

[FlComicFan]

there was a large article in CBM on the collection and the books were stored in the house in a closet The couple opened the closet and Chuck probably soiled himself and lost his buzz

[COI]

Povertyrow's post was about temperature control. And while insightful, it only describes the optimum storage conditions, and how to create that "pristine environment" as you put it.

 

Here's the comment about environment you made earlier:

 

" It's my understanding that blowout was talking about the rare, ultra high grade, expensive older books and he was just expressing his concerns with doing something other than leaving them in a climate controlled droor somewhere. "

 

So how does povertyrow's post about achieving an optimum environment adress "concerns with doing something other than leaving them in a climate controlled droor somwhere." ?

[PovertyRow]

Keep in mylar and don't touch isn't much advice to this group.

 

I have to agree. Mylar is, in my opinion, the LAST thing to take into consideration. Is it helpful? Absolutely! Is it the first opreder of biz? How much of the Edgar Chruch Collection was stored in mylar?

 

Mylar is an excellent and, in my opinion, essential storage medium. But it is also the third amoung heat/humidity/mylar.

[COI]

I was just saying that if I want to view one of my high grades, I do so keeping the book in the mylar. I was not saying tha a mylar alone will provide long term storage protection. I do realize the importance of temperature control, and I do use it in my storage room.

[Bugaboo-migration]

His post was more than just "temperature control".......or did you not pay attention to it the same way you didn't pay attention to the first post in the thread?

 

He wasn't just talking about locking them in an evironmentally cotrolled safe.....he actually gave a little insight on how to properly maintain your whole house so that it's safer for your books. This way, you can store them in your closet or even display them while limiting any harm that may come to them.

 

Sorry.....but that's just more helpful to me than the old "store in mylar and don't touch advice".

[PovertyRow]

So how does povertyrow's post about achieving an optimum environment adress "concerns with doing something other than leaving them in a climate controlled droor somwhere." ?

 

It doesn't! OK? How many fricking factors do YOU take into account for long term storage?

 

There is and there is reality. The reality is simple. An even cool temperature combined with a lesser humidity that is kept constant is the best condition beyond the same with a nitrogen atmosphere or a Church Stack that can be had.

 

Not sure what your rejoinder is about. If you have a better storage scheme than I have outlined please share it.

[FlComicFan]

I think just common sense is all you really need. Keep away from light, water, humidity and heat and handle with care and you should be ok

[Bugaboo-migration]

Keep away from light, water, humidity and heat and handle with care and you should be ok

You didn't mention anthing about ......so how about if I come over and take a big dump on all your books.

[COI]

Povertyrow, you misunderstand my posts. I wasn't saying your post wasn't accurate or insightful, I was just saying that its subject was temperature control, which is probably THE most important aspect of keeping your books safe.

 

"It doesn't! OK?"

 

OK! This is all I was trying to say to bug.