Restoration

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Posted By: Glen V

Hopefully this thread will stay on topic...

Here is an example of a restored card. An article was written is VCBC #7 about the process of restoring it. State of the art techniques (at least then) were used that were completely reversable. Over forty hours of work went into fixing the card.

I struggled over buying a restored card, but the price of a nice Darby was out of my range and I couldn't see spending a chunk of money on a poor one with major damage. One well known dealer considered the work done to be art itself.

Your views on restoration, assuming everyone is open on what has been done?

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Posted By: jay behrens

Definately some nice work done on the card. The few Darby's I've ever seen were heavily soiled with many other problems. Personally, I prefer cards that have some problems. Gives the card character. But if the NM look is what you are into, then restoration isn't a bad thing as long as it is not done to decieve. If the comic hobby can live with, so can we.

Jay

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Posted By: petecld

Glen,

BEAUTIFUL card!!! That dealer was right, professional restoration is an art form in and of itself and as your card shows, the results can be amazing.

I don't have any problem with restoration. I have a problem with deception.

I went after a restored 1933 Goudey #144 Ruth that was restored to NM condition. The seller who sold the card didn't hide anything and even though some feel he was wrong for selling restored cards he is what I consider an honest seller.

As long as a restored card is sold as such, what's the problem?

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Posted By: warshawlaw

As long as it is disclosed, what the heck is the difference?

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Posted By: Scott

Glen,

I would buy that card any day of the week I could find it even knowing it was restored. Its nice to see the card how it was intended to look when it was produced...

Like others who have chimed in, as long as it was disclosed that card was restored, I wouldn't have a problem.

The only problem I have is getting the image out of my head of an old guy meticulously doing the restoration work on the card much like the restoration done to Woody in Toy Story 2...

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Posted By: Eric

This is a great card, but I don't feel it meshes well with your personal collection. Aware of the grave oversight you've made, I'm willing to "hold" the card in my collection for a nominal fee. Of course, I only do this out of friendship.

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Posted By: Glen V

Thanks for the above comments on my card. However, I didn't start the thread to show off, it was meant as a continuation of MW's About Last Night thread which was locked. (Guess I left that out of my first post - need to communicate better.) He mentioned putting up before and after pictures of restored cards. I'd still like to see his pictures, or those of others who have had cards restored. Seems like this topic could be interesting and educational to a number of us.

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Posted By: runscott

Couldn't say it any better.

I also agree with MW's comments that if you want to be able to detect really professional restoration jobs, you've got to see some of their handiwork first-hand. I don't deal with restored cards, so I feel no need to go to that much trouble - plus, I like my cards in their beat-up condition.

However, I'm very curious how the card doctors can slip their work by the professional graders, and I would love to see a truly professional alteration job in person. Also, no one has explained to me yet how this stuff can pass the black light test, yet it continually does so. For instance, would the Darby's card shown above get by a professional grading service? If not, why?