What is the actual damage of old tape on GA books?

[gasa]

Thinking of buying a low grade GA that has amateur (cellophane) tape on the spine that looks like it was put on a long time ago. Two questions:

 

1. What is the damage of old amateur tape on a GA book anyway?

 

2. Does the damage get worse over time, or is the damage all done by now?

[Dr. Balls]

I can't speak for a GA book, but I have a low-grade X-Men #1 that had yellowed cello tape on it when I bought it 17 years ago, and it hasn't gotten any worse or darker.

[gasa]

Thanks.

I understand that tape is a bad thing, but I need to know really what that means. If I know what the damage really is, and if it has stopped happening at some point in time, that informs me at least.

[FineCollector]

I think we need our restoration people to chime in, but essentially, the acid in the glue accelerates the degredation of the paper. The paper gets thiner and oily. I've seen books get translucent and brittle. I've never watched tape over time, but eventually it dries and comes off with little encouragement, so the rapid degregation does eventually stop.

[Dark Knight]

I believe if old tape is removed from a book, it would leave a dark and sticky residue on where the tape was. And it usually ruins the paper underneath it. I don't know of it is 100% reversible with a solvent bath.

[AnkurJ]

The worst thing a tape does as it sits on a book is eat through the paper to the point where the paper becomes "see through" in a way. Basically the fibers have been completely broken down by the tape and it is difficult to save what is left.

 

If you have tape that has not stained on a 50+ year old book, as long as you store it properly, odds are that it will not get worse in your life time.

 

Ankur

[gasa]

Thanks, guys.