Geoff2099 Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 Front cover isn't too bad -- top right corner, some spin ticks, small bend on right side, larger tear/bend on right side Back cover is messing up my grading abilities: there's some ticks and minor tears, but then there's what I think is rat chew on the bottom middle; it goes through the book getting smaller and smaller from the back to just before the centrefold. Looks to me like either rat or insect chew, but I don't have a lot of examples of what that looks like exactly. Galen130 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kav Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 4.5 Geoff2099 and grendelbo 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzutak Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 The missing paper along the bottom edge is certainly significant. But the defect that leaps out at me first (and something you didn't mention) is the moderate-to-heavy tanning. I suspect the inside front/back covers (and maybe even the interior pages) will have a similar halo. Even if the book was otherwise perfect, this degree of aging should limit the book to a maximum grade of 7.0 FN/VF or 7.5 VF-. So take that as a starting point when accounting for the book's various structural defects. grendelbo and Geoff2099 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff2099 Posted April 30, 2022 Author Share Posted April 30, 2022 On 4/29/2022 at 11:00 PM, zzutak said: The missing paper along the bottom edge is certainly significant. But the defect that leaps out at me first (and something you didn't mention) is the moderate-to-heavy tanning. I suspect the inside front/back covers (and maybe even the interior pages) will have a similar halo. Even if the book was otherwise perfect, this degree of aging should limit the book to a maximum grade of 7.0 FN/VF or 7.5 VF-. So take that as a starting point when accounting for the book's various structural defects. That is a *great* point about the tanning, I figured the chew would probably decimate the grade anyway so was mostly focused on that. I don't think this or the other books I posted tonight are high grade or worth much, this is more about my learning about grading defects beyond the standard ticks, tears bends and creases. hypothetically, if this book was a 9.8 otherwise, what would the chew do to the grade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzutak Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 I'm not going to offer a grade on this one. However, here are some examples of "lightly used" books with rat chews may help you better understand how CGC treats this particular defect. Just click on the thumbnail to enlarge. Geoff2099 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff2099 Posted April 30, 2022 Author Share Posted April 30, 2022 So I'm going to guess that a rat chew especially one that goes through multiple pages like my example would immediately max a book out at 4.5/5.0, very helpful advice from the crew here. Mine is from the back not the front, but I think theoretically it shouldn't matter. I don't typically come across this in the books I look at (usually higher grade to begin with), this was an impulse buy (disclosed by the store owner and priced accordingly) and bought as a grading lesson (plus a fun read) along with some other books I bought for grading education. Thanks y'all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Februus Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 I will say 4.0 to 4.5 as well … this doesn’t look like a rat chew to me. @zzutak was on the right track. What I noticed right off was the browning particularly around the edges. When it starts getting dark the paper doesn’t bend much at all - it breaks off.. I think someone caught the edge on a backing board or firm surface and the paper chipped off. Just a theory for what it’s worth. Rat chews look terrible, being all ragged you can see the teeth marks Geoff2099 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff2099 Posted May 1, 2022 Author Share Posted May 1, 2022 On 4/30/2022 at 12:18 AM, Februus said: I will say 4.0 to 4.5 as well … this doesn’t look like a rat chew to me. @zzutak was on the right track. What I noticed right off was the browning particularly around the edges. When it starts getting dark the paper doesn’t bend much at all - it breaks off.. I think someone caught the edge on a backing board or firm surface and the paper chipped off. Just a theory for what it’s worth. Rat chews look terrible, being all ragged you can see the teeth marks So it not be rat chew but it's something that 'carved' through the back of the book in concentric "circles" getting smaller and smaller on each page for about the last 6 pages of the book plus cover. Could it be machine made? It looks too imperfect for that. It's very strange to me (and the reason I bought it, ironically). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grendelbo Posted May 3, 2022 Share Posted May 3, 2022 On 4/29/2022 at 8:34 PM, kav said: 4.5 +1 4.5 Thanks for posting. kav and Geoff2099 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funnybooks Posted May 4, 2022 Share Posted May 4, 2022 4.0 Geoff2099 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galen130 Posted May 6, 2022 Share Posted May 6, 2022 4.5 Geoff2099 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...