PGM Nel Regno di Topolino #2 (1935)

[vaillant]

I have started to scan my collection of italian Disney books from the early to late 1930s. This was a precious series which featured mostly the Sunday pages and the Silly Simphonies, while the larger breath adventures were mostly featured in a parallel title of slightly larger format.

 

Nel Regno di Topolino is mostly in comic book format (some issues are landscape) and starts in 1935. This is issue 2.

Paper was poor and sometimes uncoated (I’ll notice that when it is the case), so keep this in mind.

 

Try to apply the comic book standards to these, and I’ll be grateful for any insight and observation…

 

Larger format versions of pictures can be obtained by clicking on them.

 

 

Back cover:

 

[eman13]

that is a beautiful copy! I am terrible at grading but i will say it is always nice to see older books like that on the boards in nice condition

[vaillant]

Thanks!

These italian titles in comic book format are among the earliest editions in Italy to use the format which would have become mainstream in the USA.

 

This is a landscape issue from the same title (#32), which i will submit here at due time… (thumbs u

 

[Red_Hood]

4.0

[vaillant]

You should have this in hand – aside from the slight color touch (which here in Italy is 99% ininfluent on grading), the issues – like this #2 – which have uncoated paper covers (a sort of cardboard, poor paper) had already a minimal wear when they came off the press.

 

I have almost never seen copies better than this one for this issue: I am not saying it’s a NM, just that different parameters must apply than those you’d apply to a 1930s US comic with a glossy coated cover.

[vaillant]

Another example for comparision: this is one of the best copies I have ever seen, but this is a higher number, and has a semi-coated cover of paper which seems half-cardboard, once again very different from both US comics and the #2 I posted.

 

The wear on the spine was more or less a manufacturing consequence on those. They are from 1935, and the fact that the cover were almost cardboard caused that…

 

[Red_Hood]

I was basing my grade on the soiling and what appears to be rusted staples. Also, the upper left corner bend looks as though it goes through the entire book.

[vaillant]

Again, I guess one can’t apply Overstreet and CGC standard to other countries editions that are not comic books.

Collecting market are too different. Copies like the one I posted last would be considered basically flawless here, simply because there aren’t very likely any better one surviving.

 

I know this is a very loose and imprecise situation, I was just trying to bridge the gap between my acquired skills at grading US comic books and what I know to be the reality of the italian collecting market.

 

About the #2: right, partially rusted staples, but where do you see a bend? There is color touch, and spine wear as I mentioned is partly a native problem, but I do not see bends going through the whole book…

[Red_Hood]

I hope we're talking about the 1st book you scanned.

Please forgive me as I'm not versed in Italian.

The bend could be described more as a crease, above the top staple on

the front cover. It appears from the scans that when I look at the back cover

scan the bend/crease line is in the white area which made me think the crease affected all the pages.

[vaillant]

Yes, it was the first one…

There is some stress around the staples, but again this was almost unavoidable as the covers are of this poor cardboard. But there are no bends or creases running through all the book…

[timfinz]

Hi Claudio! Long time no see! Hope everything is well!

 

I think this copy is worthy of a 6.5. The major problem being the foxing which is more apparent on the back cover. I don't think the spine will be an issue as you have noted that the cover is of cardboard stock and that is prone to the more distinct wear pattern visible in the scans.

[vaillant]

Hi timern – I tried to fasten a bit by not buying comics during Lent.

 

Yes, I was thinking along the same lines – rusted staples aren’t the best thing to italian collectors either, but a lot less stigmatized.

 

You should have these in hand, side by side with a GA comic book, to see how this wear is very much related to the paper stock used, and even if you imagine picking this at a newsstand in 1935 it’s not difficult to visualize that.

[vaillant]

 

I’d love other comments, questions, grading options on this one.