To remove or not to remove

[Tomega]

I currently own a very nice vg copy of the 1940 Worlds Fair with off white pages. When the cover is opened you can see that the pages have been neatly stapled together near the spine. The strange thing is that they serve no purpose and I assume they were added at a later time because they look too new to be over 60 years old. The original glue that was used to hold the pages together is in good shape and removing the staples would not affect the structure of the book. I am thinking of getting it CGC'd and was wondering if I should remove the staples or should I just leave it. I am not sure CGC would classify this as restored if I leave the staples in. I know that for some golden age books they do not consider it restoration if it is reinforcing the structure. However these staples are not considered replacements since the book had none to begin with nor do they appear to be reinforcing the structure substantially? I was going to run this past Bob Storms at the last show but forgot. Anybody have any ideas?

Thanks

Tom

[Zonker]

I currently own a very nice vg copy of the 1940 Worlds Fair with off white pages. When the cover is opened you can see that the pages have been neatly stapled together near the spine. The strange thing is that they serve no purpose and I assume they were added at a later time because they look too new to be over 60 years old. The original glue that was used to hold the pages together is in good shape and removing the staples would not affect the structure of the book. I am thinking of getting it CGC'd and was wondering if I should remove the staples or should I just leave it. I am not sure CGC would classify this as restored if I leave the staples in. I know that for some golden age books they do not consider it restoration if it is reinforcing the structure. However these staples are not considered replacements since the book had none to begin with nor do they appear to be reinforcing the structure substantially? I was going to run this past Bob Storms at the last show but forgot. Anybody have any ideas?

Thanks

Tom

 

Are you sure the staples are not from the original printing? I don't have that book, but I'm pretty sure my earliest World's Finest and Comic Cavalcades (the ones with the cardboard covers) have the pages stapled (big honkin' staple too) PLUS the glued-on cardboard cover. It's pretty common to see these books with the cover loose after the glue wears off the spine, but in such cases the pages all remain together because of the staple.

 

I'd definitely get someone like Blazing Bob or Zilla to take a look before doing any mods to the book.

[Tomega]

Are you sure the staples are not from the original printing? I don't have that book, but I'm pretty sure my earliest World's Finest and Comic Cavalcades (the ones with the cardboard covers) have the pages stapled (big honkin' staple too) PLUS the glued-on cardboard cover. It's pretty common to see these books with the cover loose after the glue wears off the spine, but in such cases the pages all remain together because of the staple.

 

I'd definitely get someone like Blazing Bob or Zilla to take a look before doing any mods to the book.

 

I know what you are talking about on the early Worlds Finest and Cavalcades but I do not think it is the same thing. I own a few early issues of those and they are not as square bound as this book is. Maybe Bob will read this and have a suggestion.

Thanks

Tom

[Tomega]

Bump o rama.

[PovertyRow]

Bump o rama.

 

There is another factor to consider. Even if the staples don't belong, would you rather have a book with two "extra" staples or remove them and have a book with 4 holes going through 96 pages (or, to put it another way, 384 holes)? Now it sounds like I am being a bit of a wise guy but it is a serious alternate perspective.

[Tomega]

Bump o rama.

 

There is another factor to consider. Even if the staples don't belong, would you rather have a book with two "extra" staples or remove them and have a book with 4 holes going through 96 pages (or, to put it another way, 384 holes)? Now it sounds like I am being a bit of a wise guy but it is a serious alternate perspective.

 

It does not sound like you are being a wise guy, that was one of thoughts. Is holes better then staples ? I think holes are better then staples if it meant coming back restored if I left them in. I am not sure, it is the only time I ran across this. I really do not know.

Thanks

Tom

[Aman619]

this is what I was getting at earlier with my (admittedly) wise guy remark that a book mis-assembled with a missing staple can be considered in BETTER condition than normal copies with two staples because there has been less damage to the paper....it has a cleaner spine.

 

I cante see how a single missing staple matters all that much, or can affect a grade negatively. Its an accident, not evidence of an incomplete book. Its not a missing centerfold or other page.