Brittle Pages? How Bad Is It? Is It a Dealbreaker? 7 7

[Robot Man]

On 11/11/2023 at 5:04 AM, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

That’s funny. I feel the same about foxing and rust

I can, on occasion live with minor rust or foxing but brittle, excessive tape or mold are a big no no for me.

A few years ago, I received this one in the mail from a VERY reputable dealer. He mentioned slight water damage to the cover which didn’t look very bad. I opened the cover and saw this. I quickly closed it, put it back in the bag and washed my hands. Back it went right away.

There is no place even in my motley collection for books like this…

[Paul © ® ⚽️💙™]

On 11/11/2023 at 5:06 PM, Robot Man said:

I can, on occasion live with minor rust or foxing but brittle, excessive tape or mold are a big no no for me.

A few years ago, I received this one in the mail from a VERY reputable dealer. He mentioned slight water damage to the cover which didn’t look very bad. I opened the cover and saw this. I quickly closed it, put it back in the bag and washed my hands. Back it went right away.

There is no place even in my motley collection for books like this…

That's the Promise 9.4 copy isn't it?

[skypinkblu]

I don't normally keep brittle books if I find them, but  I HAVE slabbed a few books that did not seem to be brittle anywhere, only for them to come back "slightly brittle" ...so I'm iffy about those. I also don't buy cream/ow colored books with spine rolls, I had one of those but when it was opened up, every page was split. (I bought it thinking I'd have the spine roll flixed).

Edited November 11, 2023 by skypinkblu
typo

[Robot Man]

On 11/11/2023 at 9:20 AM, Paul (GG) © ® ™⚽️💙 said:

That's the Promise 9.4 copy isn't it?

No, it is the Mile Low copy. And, by the way, thanks for the prompt refund…

[Yorick]

There was a conservationist posting here a while back that had been working on a de-acidification process for the newsprint paper.  He used a great old DC book with (what looked like) slightly brittle pages and made them supple cream.  Whether this worked as a long term preservation method or not, I do not know.  I am hopeful that there may be a time in the near future that we'll have better processes for reversing paper degradation.

[Dr. Balls]

On 11/11/2023 at 5:07 AM, goldust40 said:

Always avoid brittle books. Structure is important but so is preservation, and a book with brittle pages is on its last legs in that department, unless there's a restorational method of reversing the deterioration. Normally (but not always) the book is very tan, with the browning visible on the cover, with some of the corners missing. If I wanted a reader, I'd obviously prefer one with decent pages so I could read the damn thing and not have to worry about damaging it - comics are fragile things, but brittleness is the point of no return for me, even with the best storage available. As for investment, I'll pass. Too much of a scarlet letter for me.

Excellent point right here. Thank you.

[Paul © ® ⚽️💙™]

On 11/11/2023 at 5:36 PM, Robot Man said:

No, it is the Mile Low copy. And, by the way, thanks for the prompt refund…

You're welcome.

I have a Mold guarantee certificate. 

[Paul © ® ⚽️💙™]

On 11/11/2023 at 5:55 PM, Yorick said:

There was a conservationist posting here a while back that had been working on a de-acidification process for the newsprint paper.  He used a great old DC book with (what looked like) slightly brittle pages and made them supple cream.  Whether this worked as a long term preservation method or not, I do not know.  I am hopeful that there may be a time in the near future that we'll have better processes for reversing paper degradation.

I really don't think you can reverse brittleness.

Putting lipstick on a pig is one thing, but bringing long dead paper back to life?

That's Jesus territory.

[ThothAmon]

On 11/11/2023 at 2:03 PM, Paul (GG) © ® ™⚽️💙 said:

That's Jesus territory.

Reminds me of when a state trooper pulled me over once for speeding. He noticed a large mug in the console and asked me what it was. Water, of course, I told him. Upon closer inspection he said that it was in fact wine. I promptly responded “Jesus done it again “. He let me go with a warning. 

[Dr. Balls]

When I was younger, I worked a few years at art galleries and frame shops doing framing. I was so in-tune with cutting mats, that when I look at framed artwork, I immediately look at the corners of the mat to see the amount of overcut or tearing. It's maddening because 30 years later, I still do it.

Awhile back I got a deal on a Thrilling Crime Cases 49 that had beautiful color, but hammered to 1.0 because of brittle pages. I stare at that book and enjoy the bright, vivid color - but my eye wanders right up to the PQ part of the label. It reminds me of looking at matboard, and I go back-and-forth about getting rid of it because 30 years from now, I'll still have a problem with the brittle pages.

Edited November 11, 2023 by Dr. Balls

[Paul © ® ⚽️💙™]

On 11/11/2023 at 8:29 PM, Dr. Balls said:

When I was younger, I worked a few years at art galleries and frame shops doing framing. I because so in-tune with cutting mats, that when I look at framed artwork, I immediately look at the corners of the mat to see the amount of overcut or tearing. It's maddening because 30 years later, I still do it.

Awhile back I got a deal on a Thrilling Crime Cases 49 that had beautiful color, but hammered to 1.0 because of brittle pages. I stare at that book and enjoy the bright, vivid color - but my eye wanders right up to the PQ part of the label. It reminds me of looking at matboard, and I go back-and-forth about getting rid of it because 30 years from now, I'll still have a problem with the brittle pages.

As somebody said before, PQ is debateable with CGC.

I think that their qualification of page colour is very often flawed and questionable at best, especially with the drop in grading standards over the last few years. I think PQ is something they don't really put their best effort into ascertaining.

Just going from personal experience crack-outs when I say this.

I'd like to think that Forrest Gump could identify Brittle Pages........but  who knows?   

[Dr. Balls]

On 11/11/2023 at 1:34 PM, Paul (GG) © ® ™⚽️💙 said:

As somebody said before, PQ is debateable with CGC.

I think that their qualification of page colour is very often flawed and questionable at best, especially with the drop in grading standards over the last few years. I think PQ is something they don't really put their best effort into ascertaining.

Just going from personal experience crack-outs when I say this.

I'd like to think that Forrest Gump could identify Brittle Pages........but  who knows?   

… hmmmmmmm tempting

[Point Five]

On 11/11/2023 at 3:34 PM, Paul (GG) © ® ™⚽️💙 said:

As somebody said before, PQ is debateable with CGC.

I think that their qualification of page colour is very often flawed and questionable at best, especially with the drop in grading standards over the last few years. I think PQ is something they don't really put their best effort into ascertaining.

Just going from personal experience crack-outs when I say this.

This. ^

 

[Math Teacher]

On 11/11/2023 at 2:29 PM, Dr. Balls said:

Awhile back I got a deal on a Thrilling Crime Cases 49 that had beautiful color, but hammered to 1.0 because of brittle pages. I stare at that book and enjoy the bright, vivid color - but my eye wanders right up to the PQ part of the label. 

Get something like this. Problem solved.

Edited November 11, 2023 by Math Teacher

[MAR1979]

Mater of opinion is my feeling. My Dog's for example love brittle.

 

 

[MAR1979]

On 11/11/2023 at 12:20 PM, Paul (GG) © ® ™⚽️💙 said:

That's the Promise 9.4 copy isn't it?

Way too nice to be that Pedigree.

Edited November 11, 2023 by MAR1979

[Inaflash]

On 11/11/2023 at 5:01 AM, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

I wouldn’t kick this out of bed

But if you did it would crumble to pieces.

[action1kid]

I owned a Famous Funnies series 1 ( Martin Landau copy) that had brittle pages. I knew it was truly rare so I made the exception.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 11/11/2023 at 4:43 PM, Inaflash said:

But if you did it would crumble to pieces.

That’s the usual reaction I get 

[Jayman]

On 11/11/2023 at 3:29 PM, Dr. Balls said:

When I was younger, I worked a few years at art galleries and frame shops doing framing. I was so in-tune with cutting mats, that when I look at framed artwork, I immediately look at the corners of the mat to see the amount of overcut or tearing. It's maddening because 30 years later, I still do it.

If you use and adjust the stops, you’ll never get overcuts.