To restore or not restore??

[jkrk]

Im thinking about restoring the Superman 14 and here is my thinking.

It makes sense for me to put the additional money in to pay for the restoration if I'm likely to get my cost out should I decide to sell the book.

I am wondrering whether others thought this is a book worth restoring from a finacial point of view?

 

There is a small tape stain on the spine, a decent amount of spinewear, and a spine split .

 

 

[FFB]

I figure it'll cost you around $600 or so to get it restored, which is about equal to what the book is worth in its present state. If you can get the book up to Apparent 8.0 or better with no more than a Moderate (P) rating, you won't lose money getting it restored. The big question mark is the tape stain. Once the adhesive becomes cross-linked, the stains can be very difficult or even impossible to remove.

[comicdonna]

I would Not get it restored. My feeling is, that it would be worth less on the market. If you were going to keep the book to look at for 30 years, then that would be one thing, but the resale value of a Restored book is not so cut and dried. Many buyers are not willing to pay much for a restored book, compared to unrestored.

[FFB]

I would Not get it restored. My feeling is, that it would be worth less on the market. If you were going to keep the book to look at for 30 years, then that would be one thing, but the resale value of a Restored book is not so cut and dried. Many buyers are not willing to pay much for a restored book, compared to unrestored.

 

Of course a buyer would pay more for an unrestored 8.0 than he would for a restored 8.0. That is obvious. But would a buyer be willing to pay more for a restored 8.0 or an unrestored 3.0? That is not so easy a question.

[divad]

I would Not get it restored. My feeling is, that it would be worth less on the market. If you were going to keep the book to look at for 30 years, then that would be one thing, but the resale value of a Restored book is not so cut and dried. Many buyers are not willing to pay much for a restored book, compared to unrestored.

 

Of course a buyer would pay more for an unrestored 8.0 than he would for a restored 8.0. That is obvious. But would a buyer be willing to pay more for a restored 8.0 or an unrestored 3.0? That is not so easy a question.

 

Personally, I would pay more for a restored 8.0 (minor / professional) than for an unrestored 3.0 - how much more depends on a lot of factors . . .

[comicdonna]

The cover has nice eye appeal as it is. Maybe an 8.0 with major repair would be worth more on the market, but I would not be willing to take the chance.

[uclapeterg]

This is hypotethical anyways. Would it become a 8.0 restored? and would it get moderate restoration? I might restore it to get rid of the tape stain which will just further detoriate the book, but if it's difficult or impossible to get rid of the tape residue like FFB said, I would leave it as is.

[comicdonna]

I am thinking Major

[143ksk]

I agree that it will probably end up as extensive restoration given the areas that need to be replaced. At least the big chip is in a black area which should save you $ when the inpainting is done.

 

My personal feeling is that I would not restore any book that was G/VG or better. The only book I've had restored was a GD- to begin with.

[FFB]

I am thinking Major

 

I don't think so. It looks more like a Moderate job. Just a solvent cleaning to try to remove the tape stain, a couple of small pieces to be infilled, some limited inpainting, and a press job to cap it all off.

[Hobgoblin]

I think the 3.0 book has character.

[Silver Surfer]

I'd probably leave it as is.

[casey1870]

If I had the money I'd do a total restoration....hang it on my living room wall,have a party & invite all my friends, so the next day someone can break into my house & steal it...... ......

[october]

I would get it restored. I would rather have a restored 7.5/8.0 than anything unrestored up to 4.5.

[PovertyRow]

It is a nice looking book. The restoration should be no more than moderate. Tape stain should be ok to remove, and some piece replace/inpainting as has been said. Once concern is that large "4947" stamp. It may dissuade some from buying, if you are focussing on resell, especially when combined with a PLOD.

[Ze-man]

I say leave it be.

It looks fantastic as is...lotsa little things wrong with it.. but nothing really major.

 

And might I ask if that type of large date stamp was common for a GA book?

It actually is kinda cool, and a very detailed font for an old rubber stamp.

 

And if one WAS to restore it.. are there things you SHOULD do over things you should not?

I guess what I am asking is.. what would you restore, first to last if you wanted to maximize not only resale profit, but also acceptability in the marketplace(same thing I guess)...ie.. slight..moderate, extensive...etc.... what should be left off the list.. trimmed?.. CT?

 

Ze-

[october]

trimmed?.. CT?

 

 

I can't answer your whole question (I am curious to hear the answer myself), but I do know that trimming isn't restoration. I don't think restorers ever do it, since it damages the book rather than repairs it. If I am wrong someone can correct me...

[FFB]

I say leave it be.

It looks fantastic as is...lotsa little things wrong with it.. but nothing really major.

 

And might I ask if that type of large date stamp was common for a GA book?

It actually is kinda cool, and a very detailed font for an old rubber stamp.

 

And if one WAS to restore it.. are there things you SHOULD do over things you should not?

I guess what I am asking is.. what would you restore, first to last if you wanted to maximize not only resale profit, but also acceptability in the marketplace(same thing I guess)...ie.. slight..moderate, extensive...etc.... what should be left off the list.. trimmed?.. CT?

 

Ze-

 

1) Remove staples.

2) Dry clean.

3) Solvent clean.

4) Aqueous clean.

5) Infilling missing pieces and adding support at spine and interiors, if need be (and probably will be needed at bottom spine corner of interiors is my guess).

6) Inpainting areas missing color.

7) Recoat inpainted areas.

8) Reassemble

9) Press.

 

Done.

 

Trimming is never an option, except for trimming off the edges of excess material added to the book.

[FFB]

It is a nice looking book. The restoration should be no more than moderate. Tape stain should be ok to remove, and some piece replace/inpainting as has been said. Once concern is that large "4947" stamp. It may dissuade some from buying, if you are focussing on resell, especially when combined with a PLOD.

 

How can you tell whether the tape stain can be removed until you try to remove it? If it is cross-linked, it might not be removable.

[Ze-man]

 

1) Remove staples.

2) Dry clean.

3) Solvent clean.

4) Aqueous clean.

5) Infilling missing pieces and adding support at spine and interiors, if need be (and probably will be needed at bottom spine corner of interiors is my guess).

6) Inpainting areas missing color.

7) Recoat inpainted areas.

8) Reassemble

9) Press.

 

Done.

 

 

 

Nice list.

But since the list is from the top down, are you saying you would do all the above to the book in question if you wanted to maximize resale value?

Or is your list simply a hypothetical step by step restoration walkthrough?

 

Could you elaborate further for the owner(and others) what you think he should or should not do if his main goal was to sell the book, versus just restoring the book for personal satisfaction.( or did you already with your above list?)

 

I know what I personally prefer in a restored book, but was curious if you yourself would rather buy a fully restored book, versus a book with selective, slight restoration. Even if it meant it did not realize a higher PLOD grade that it might have otherwise recieved with a fully loaded resto job.

 

 

 

Ze-