Hypothetical Question: If you were to have a book restored ..... ?

[THE_BEYONDER]

 

Have you submitted your grade yet to Nikos?

 

If not....

 

DO IT NOW!!!!

 

If so....

 

Please disregard my above statement

[FFB]

That's very interesting. I am pretty curious about restoration myself. A few months back I bought some comics off of a guy who lived nearby. He was unloading his silver stuff in favor of low grade golden age books that he then had restored. I had the chance to see a few early Marvel Mysteries he'd had worked on and they looked great. I was thinking of doing the same thing sometime in the next year or so, pending success on tracking down solid resto candidates. How much would it cost (ballpark) to bump a G/VG into a nice F or F+? Assuming the work entailed color touch, small piece replacement, a few tear seals and a cleaning? $600-800 maybe? I guess there aren't a lot of books out there that would be worth dropping that kind of coin into....

 

I remember you saying elsewhere that you were having an AF 15 worked on. This the case?

 

Yep. Tracey has my AF#15.

 

For a G/VG to a F or F+ it would probably run you about $600-$1,000 with Tracey for a "typical" job depending on what needed to be done. If the primary defects are just typical creasing and staining with no missing pieces, then you'll get a much better result for a lot less money because you won't need infilling and the stains (which knock grades way down) can usually be removed with a solvent and/or aqueous wash. If pieces need to be added, that brings the cost up. If the pages are browned and need to be bleached, that also adds a layer of cost. Tracey's initial estimate on my AF#15 to get it from FR 1.0 to about App. 6.0/6.5 was $1,199, but it needs to have the spine completely rebuilt and there's a lot of inpainting that needs to be done -- things that wouldn't be true of a G/VG copy.

[Hobgoblin]

I did. And I think I severely undergraded.

[Stronguy]

Yep. Tracey has my AF#15.

 

For a G/VG to a F or F+ it would probably run you about $600-$1,000 with Tracey for a "typical" job depending on what needed to be done. If the primary defects are just typical creasing and staining with no missing pieces, then you'll get a much better result for a lot less money because you won't need infilling and the stains (which knock grades way down) can usually be removed with a solvent and/or aqueous wash. If pieces need to be added, that brings the cost up. If the pages are browned and need to be bleached, that also adds a layer of cost. Tracey's initial estimate on my AF#15 to get it from FR 1.0 to about App. 6.0/6.5 was $1,199, but it needs to have the spine completely rebuilt and there's a lot of inpainting that needs to be done -- things that wouldn't be true of a G/VG copy.

 

Yikes!

 

My AF15 was FR/GD with ballpoint ink on the front and back covers, typical GD spine wear and a 1.5" x .75" piece missing from the front cover and 1st page. Total on that was $550 from Matt Wilson. But that was 1992.

 

This is it now (probably (a)F/VF)...

[Stronguy]

FWIW here is the work Matt Nelson did for me on my Hulk #1 -- $350.

 

 

 

[FFB]

They look great! Got any mega-scans so I can check out fine details of the work? I am wondering how he inpainted over the parts that have dot pattern ink printing.

[FFB]

Yep. Tracey has my AF#15.

 

For a G/VG to a F or F+ it would probably run you about $600-$1,000 with Tracey for a "typical" job depending on what needed to be done. If the primary defects are just typical creasing and staining with no missing pieces, then you'll get a much better result for a lot less money because you won't need infilling and the stains (which knock grades way down) can usually be removed with a solvent and/or aqueous wash. If pieces need to be added, that brings the cost up. If the pages are browned and need to be bleached, that also adds a layer of cost. Tracey's initial estimate on my AF#15 to get it from FR 1.0 to about App. 6.0/6.5 was $1,199, but it needs to have the spine completely rebuilt and there's a lot of inpainting that needs to be done -- things that wouldn't be true of a G/VG copy.

 

Yikes!

 

My AF15 was FR/GD with ballpoint ink on the front and back covers, typical GD spine wear and a 1.5" x .75" piece missing from the front cover and 1st page. Total on that was $550 from Matt Wilson. But that was 1992.

 

This is it now (probably (a)F/VF)...

 

The tough part about the AF#15 is when you need to inpaint in the gray areas that have a tonal dot pattern. Most restorers just paint solid acrylic over those portions. Tracey is going to recreate the dot pattern on mine so that it (hopefully) looks seamless. That costs a lot of extra $$$$.

 

Where was the ballpoint pen on the cover of the AF#15? Looks like he got it all out.

[Stronguy]

Here is the Hulk -- larger than life.

Hulk #1 front

Hulk #1 back

 

I'll have to re-scan the AF15. I didn't save any hi-res of it.

 

Here's a closer look at some of the ink areas. The original owner had filled in Spidey's eyes and drawn a Beetles haircut on the criminal. He had also drawn in the margins around the back cover ad. That didn't come out so hot. I'll scan it later.

 

[Hobgoblin]

Wow, that AF 15 and Hulk 1 are amazing now. I was pretty against restoration not long ago, but these scans are quickly changing my mind. Anything I would restore would be something I would hold onto anyway, so not like I would be doing it to try to sell for a profit. Great books guys

[toro]

Comic Keys. I'd also have him sell it for me. He gets the best prices on restored books......

 

Great Post!!!

[FFB]

Here is the Hulk -- larger than life.

Hulk #1 front

Hulk #1 back

 

I'll have to re-scan the AF15. I didn't save any hi-res of it.

 

Here's a closer look at some of the ink areas. The original owner had filled in Spidey's eyes and drawn a Beetles haircut on the criminal. He had also drawn in the margins around the back cover ad. That didn't come out so hot. I'll scan it later.

 

 

Nice job on that Hulk #1!!! Even with the huge scan you have to look REALLY close to see the work. That is awesome.

[Newerthannew]

Hi Everyone

 

Hobgoblin, if you send me the link to the ebay auction (or the pictures from the auction), I'll generate an initial estimate on the cost of restoration for you.

 

Thanks

Tracey Heft

www.eclipsepaper.com

[Hobgoblin]

Hi Everyone

 

Hobgoblin, if you send me the link to the ebay auction (or the pictures from the auction), I'll generate an initial estimate on the cost of restoration for you.

 

Thanks

Tracey Heft

www.eclipsepaper.com

 

Thanks. PM sent. I probably won't be able to afford the restoration for a while, but an estimate would be nice.

[divad]

Here is the Hulk -- larger than life.

Hulk #1 front

Hulk #1 back

 

I'll have to re-scan the AF15. I didn't save any hi-res of it.

 

Here's a closer look at some of the ink areas. The original owner had filled in Spidey's eyes and drawn a Beetles haircut on the criminal. He had also drawn in the margins around the back cover ad. That didn't come out so hot. I'll scan it later.

 

 

 

Nice job on that Hulk #1!!! Even with the huge scan you have to look REALLY close to see the work. That is awesome.

 

Allthough admittedly interesting, I for one, have no interest in extensively restored books.

[october]

Thanks for sharing.

[Hobgoblin]

Here is the Hulk -- larger than life.

Hulk #1 front

Hulk #1 back

 

I'll have to re-scan the AF15. I didn't save any hi-res of it.

 

Here's a closer look at some of the ink areas. The original owner had filled in Spidey's eyes and drawn a Beetles haircut on the criminal. He had also drawn in the margins around the back cover ad. That didn't come out so hot. I'll scan it later.

 

 

 

Nice job on that Hulk #1!!! Even with the huge scan you have to look REALLY close to see the work. That is awesome.

 

Allthough admittedly interesting, I for one, have no interest in extensively restored books.

 

Well no, I wouldn't want to buy a restored book from someone else. But if there's a great GA book that I come across and I want to display it as long as I'm living, a bit of resto becomes very promising.

[october]

Here is the Hulk -- larger than life.

Hulk #1 front

Hulk #1 back

 

I'll have to re-scan the AF15. I didn't save any hi-res of it.

 

Here's a closer look at some of the ink areas. The original owner had filled in Spidey's eyes and drawn a Beetles haircut on the criminal. He had also drawn in the margins around the back cover ad. That didn't come out so hot. I'll scan it later.

 

 

 

Nice job on that Hulk #1!!! Even with the huge scan you have to look REALLY close to see the work. That is awesome.

 

Allthough admittedly interesting, I for one, have no interest in extensively restored books.

 

Well no, I wouldn't want to buy a restored book from someone else. But if there's a great GA book that I come across and I want to display it as long as I'm living, a bit of resto becomes very promising.

 

You wouldn't buy a restored book, but you would get one restored? What's the difference? Kind of a strange line to draw...

[divad]

Thanks for sharing.

 

You're welcome

[Hobgoblin]

Here is the Hulk -- larger than life.

Hulk #1 front

Hulk #1 back

 

I'll have to re-scan the AF15. I didn't save any hi-res of it.

 

Here's a closer look at some of the ink areas. The original owner had filled in Spidey's eyes and drawn a Beetles haircut on the criminal. He had also drawn in the margins around the back cover ad. That didn't come out so hot. I'll scan it later.

 

 

 

Nice job on that Hulk #1!!! Even with the huge scan you have to look REALLY close to see the work. That is awesome.

 

Allthough admittedly interesting, I for one, have no interest in extensively restored books.

 

Well no, I wouldn't want to buy a restored book from someone else. But if there's a great GA book that I come across and I want to display it as long as I'm living, a bit of resto becomes very promising.

 

You wouldn't buy a restored book, but you would get one restored? What's the difference? Kind of a strange line to draw...

 

Because it's likely that I would get ripped off by paying mid to high grade money for a book that has been restored, because the eBay seller would be trying to scam me out of some dough.

[drbanner]

 

Were the edges of the book trimmed? It looks a little fooked up with the pages extending beyond both the front and back covers and a bit at the top/bottom.

 

I have several restored books and won't hesitate to buy more, but it appears Matt could have tried to match the cover up with the interior a little bit better. Undoubtedly, once the cover is removed that is where the bulk of the work goes and it looks great by itself, but when these gem covers are matched back up with a "good" interior, they look a bit off-kilter.