Taped Word Balloons?

[MOStateSuperman]

I'm looking at buying a page from a much-loved storyline, but it has three scotch-taped word bubbles. Was this a common writer/letterer practice in the '90s? I've seen/purchased quite a few pages over the years, but i've never come across one with taped bubbles. Has anyone come across this and, if so, won't something need to be done about that tape?

[malvin]

hmm... I have hundreds of published pages, I don't recall owning any with scotch tape word bubbles. Maybe they fell off and the previous owner taped it. It's easy enough to replace the scotch tape with archival glue I think.

 

Malvin

[MOStateSuperman]

That's my thought, but I'm afraid of causing damage to the board and/or word bubble when removing the tape.

[malvin]

then you can leave it, or get a professional restorer/conservationist to do it

 

Malvin

[MOStateSuperman]

I would probably look to a conservationist (and i've seen many good references around here), because I would be afraid to leave scotch tape on an art board like that. I've read here and there that newer scotch tape is better than the tape of old, but I don't know that i'm that confident to leave it alone.

[alxjhnsn]

Restoration expertise standard answer follows:

 

 

In the many threads on paper conservation, the names that recur the most were:

 

• Robert Dennis
  
  • agraphicstateofmind@verizon.net
    
  • http://www.agraphicstateofmind.com/
    
  • http://www.agraphicstateofmind.com/comic_art_restoration_service.html

  [*]Gordon Christman

  • ggc2k@hotmail.com
    
  • Gordon doesn't seem to have a web presence, but his snail mail address and phone number are:
    GORDON G. CHRISTMAN
    RESTORATION & CONSERVATION
    330 SOUTH HORNE STREET #L
    OCEANSIDE CA 92054
    TEL: 760 439 7970
    CEL: 760 458 2290

  [*]Tracey Heft - Eclipse Paper

  trace@eclipsepaper.com

  http://www.eclipsepaper.com

I would add that most major museums know of paper conservators. You might want to contact someone at a local museum and see if there is a conservator close to you.

 

 

[Mighty Hal]

then you can leave it, or get a professional restorer/conservationist to do it

 

Malvin

 

But it had really better be a MUCH-loved story line. The restorer I contacted wanted three times what I paid for my much-loved page to buff and shine my panel page. It was -- and still is -- missing three word balloons and has a yellowish glue-type discoloration where the balloons once existed.

 

To the original question, I've not heard of scotch tape being used to keep word balloons in place, either. If someone had used taped the word balloons on my '90s page, they might still be in place!