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[VintageComics]

On 10/3/2024 at 12:53 AM, jimbo_7071 said:

I don't think that's the reason resto is no longer seen as adding value. I just thinks sentiments about restoration have changed. Many collectors have decided that they want their books unaltered by restoration. Personally, I would rather have no copy than have a copy with color touch, trimming or pieces added. I could live with tear seals, replaced staples, or cleaning if the book were rare enough, but I'd expect a deep discount. (I'm in favor of replacing or simply removing rusty staples in order to minimize damage to the paper.)

There's more than one factor at play in my opinion. 

I think the main reason Resto is more frowned upon now than it used to be is the large difference in price between restored and unrestored books, and that divergence happened in part because prices have risen so high for unrestored books leaving the prices for restored books behind and partly because the certification market have caused more volatility in price causing people to avoid Purple labels.

I'd really like to hear from some seasoned collectors about how they felt about Resto 40 years ago. I just don't think it was as frowned upon as it is today, but that's just an opinion based on the ads I saw in the OSPG. I can't say for sure.

[jimbo_7071]

On 10/3/2024 at 3:03 AM, VintageComics said:

There's more than one factor at play in my opinion. 

I think the main reason Resto is more frowned upon now than it used to be is the large difference in price between restored and unrestored books, and that divergence happened in part because prices have risen so high for unrestored books leaving the prices for restored books behind and partly because the certification market have caused more volatility in price causing people to avoid Purple labels.

I'd really like to hear from some seasoned collectors about how they felt about Resto 40 years ago. I just don't think it was as frowned upon as it is today, but that's just an opinion based on the ads I saw in the OSPG. I can't say for sure.

I've been collecting since '84, the year I turned 10, and even though I wasn't buying anything expensive, I remember dealers talking about restoration. Even then unrestored books were much preferred—I don't think many people went along with Bob Overstreet's idea that a professionally restored book was worth the mean of the values of the old and new grades—but it was seen as adding some value. Bill Sarill was a well-respected guy. Everybody wanted him to do their resto work.

Most collectors couldn't spot work that was as good as Bill's—not without a black light, anyway—and dealers didn't disclose it. It was caveat emptor to the nth power. That pervasive deception was likely a factor in why resto became so hated.

[VintageComics]

On 10/3/2024 at 3:13 AM, jimbo_7071 said:

That pervasive deception was likely a factor in why resto became so hated.

This I agree with as well. It's another factor in why Restored books became frowned upon, as people sent in their books to get slabbed only to realize they had undisclosed resto and were duped. 

I was 14 in 1984, BTW and had already been collecting for a few years by then.

 

Edited 5 hours ago by VintageComics