Do these staples look like they have been married? 2 2

[CarlNicholson]

[steveinthecity]

The staples don’t seem to match.  

Do you have an image of the staples at the centerfold?

[CarlNicholson]

On 1/31/2022 at 2:38 PM, steveinthecity said:

The staples don’t seem to match.  

Do you have an image of the staples at the centerfold?

 

[Mr. Zipper]

The bottom staple seems fine. In the centerfold, there is a spot of rust migrated to the paper underneath that corresponds with a spot on the staple.

The top staple isn't as clear cut. There seems to be an indentation above the staple in the centerfold that does not correspond with the staple. Yet, there is no rust on the paper or indicator WHY someone would swap out that staple. I don't know. 

[CarlNicholson]

On 1/31/2022 at 4:28 PM, Mr. Zipper said:

The bottom staple seems fine. In the centerfold, there is a spot of rust migrated to the paper underneath that corresponds with a spot on the staple.

The top staple isn't as clear cut. There seems to be an indentation above the staple in the centerfold that does not correspond with the staple. Yet, there is no rust on the paper or indicator WHY someone would swap out that staple. I don't know. 

Thanks for the insight. Married couples and swapped staples are always hard for me to identify. That being said, since the bottom one looks good-I am going to hope the top one is legit, but we will see after I get it graded  

[William-James88]

Also, it being a silver age book lowers the chance of the staples being married just because it's much rarer for that to be seen in books of that era. Good luck

[James J Johnson]

On 1/31/2022 at 11:23 AM, CarlNicholson said:

Carl, could you please post images showing exactly the areas from the same angle as these, but from the front cover view? That would be most helpful. 

Edited February 1, 2022 by James J Johnson

[theCapraAegagrus]

Inconclusive IMO.

[comicginger1789]

To me, it does not appear married at all.

Again, ask yourself why would someone replace staples? The usual reason is because the originals had rust. There is no real reason otherwise to mess around with staples (unless you had a book where they were not firmly punched through the centrefold and were trying to replace an original poor staple manufacture job with your own). The staples on the book you have have rust/tarnish on them so why would someone replace rusty staples with rusty staples? Granted, these replacement staples could have rusted since they were replaced. But the final thing I ask myself is is it on a book that matters. I am not an expert but that book does not appear to be a high value book (I cant tell which issue but it appears to be early 70s FF). Thus taking the time to replace them seems pointless.

Just double check the top staple. If the holes and indents where the staple folds over then I think there should be zero worry. The bottom staple looks great and the top, while appearing different in images, is likely fine also. 

[James J Johnson]

On 2/1/2022 at 5:40 AM, comicginger1789 said:

To me, it does not appear married at all.

Again, ask yourself why would someone replace staples? The usual reason is because the originals had rust. There is no real reason otherwise to mess around with staples (unless you had a book where they were not firmly punched through the centrefold and were trying to replace an original poor staple manufacture job with your own). The staples on the book you have have rust/tarnish on them so why would someone replace rusty staples with rusty staples? Granted, these replacement staples could have rusted since they were replaced. But the final thing I ask myself is is it on a book that matters. I am not an expert but that book does not appear to be a high value book (I cant tell which issue but it appears to be early 70s FF). Thus taking the time to replace them seems pointless.

Just double check the top staple. If the holes and indents where the staple folds over then I think there should be zero worry. The bottom staple looks great and the top, while appearing different in images, is likely fine also. 

In my estimation, the staples are original and are the same two staples as issued. However, the pictures are inconclusive s to whether or not they were removed and then reinserted, possibly some type of reinforcement as the cause. The staples appear to me to be unusually tightly seated, like what one would expect to see on a book that hasn't been opened given the mild to moderate degree of spine fractures present, which is why I wanted to see the way the spine looks from the view of the front cover at those points. 

[CarlNicholson]

On 2/1/2022 at 4:19 AM, James J Johnson said:

Carl, could you please post images showing exactly the areas from the same angle as these, but from the front cover view? That would be most helpful. 

Here are some pics for context, tried to get the angle you needed. 

[CarlNicholson]

On 2/1/2022 at 8:40 AM, comicginger1789 said:

To me, it does not appear married at all.

Again, ask yourself why would someone replace staples? The usual reason is because the originals had rust. There is no real reason otherwise to mess around with staples (unless you had a book where they were not firmly punched through the centrefold and were trying to replace an original poor staple manufacture job with your own). The staples on the book you have have rust/tarnish on them so why would someone replace rusty staples with rusty staples? Granted, these replacement staples could have rusted since they were replaced. But the final thing I ask myself is is it on a book that matters. I am not an expert but that book does not appear to be a high value book (I cant tell which issue but it appears to be early 70s FF). Thus taking the time to replace them seems pointless.

Just double check the top staple. If the holes and indents where the staple folds over then I think there should be zero worry. The bottom staple looks great and the top, while appearing different in images, is likely fine also. 

Thanks for the insight! It’s not a super expensive copy, but it’s a mid grade ff49. So there might be some incentive, not a much though. I’m always worried about unseen resto when I make a purchase over a couple of hundred dollars-have been burned once, and it sucks  

[buttock]

Nothing at all makes me think those are replaced. 

[James J Johnson]

On 2/1/2022 at 9:50 AM, buttock said:

Nothing at all makes me think those are replaced. 

I agree. Most of that spine wear appears to be rough storage induced. Rubbing, scraping, from sliding in and out. Not flaking and color-breakage from reading/handling. Seeing it from the opposite side solidifies my initial impression that the staples are original and have not been unseated and replaced. 

[James J Johnson]

On 2/1/2022 at 12:56 PM, Calling All Monsters said:

Thanks Danny/Richard/Perry/Robojo33/KellysSuperheroes!

The helpful advice is mine. I didn't get that advice from any of those aforementioned, but I can well imagine that your comment isn't the end of something here in this thread. It's just the beginning. Another thread of value to the community soon to become derailed despite moderation requesting otherwise. Have at it if you insist.  

[James J Johnson]

On 2/1/2022 at 2:36 PM, Calling All Monsters said:

Sorry. How could I forget Comic-Keys? My bad  

As suspected, this is a secondary forum account? A shill created specifically for this purpose should the need arise?. Do you have anything to add about the subject of the thread? Any opinions you can offer about the staples, the paper, the comic in question? You are aware that is a comic and this is a comic forum where hobbyists come to ask for advice, is that right? 

Edited February 2, 2022 by James J Johnson