Just So Tobacco Burkett Restoration Project

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Posted By: Andy Baran

I have seen my Just So Burkett mentioned in a few posts, so I just wanted to clear the air about why and how I am having the card restored.

First, let me state that in most cases, I would never consider restoration for a baseball card. I would never restore a card to try to fool anyone (I have been very open about this), nor would I do so to take a perfectly good card and improve it's condition. This situation is unique however. The Just So Tobacco card that I own is the only known Just So Burkett card in existance. It is also horribly trimmed (already altered from it's original state). I have a scan of the card as it exists today below. I have been able to locate a period Just So Tobacco Actress card, from the exact same series. The restoration process will use the Just So Actress card (all period materials), to combine with Just So Burkett card to form one Just So Burkett card. The Burkett card will then have the original appearance that it was meant to have, using only a Just So Actress card to accomplish this. The borders, corners, etc will not be rebuilt with modern materials. The card will be "cleaned" as was discussed in a previous post, mainly to make sure that the colors of the 2 cards match as close as possible. Although both cards are the same age, and had the same original color, there are differing kinds and amounts of "dirt" on the cards, since they have been exposed to different environments over the last 110 years. I have also attached a scan of what I hope the restored Just So Burkett card will look like, if all goes well.

I hope to never have to sell or auction this card, but you never know. I plan on keeping the full restoration report, along with before and after photos of the cards, and would share all of this information if I were to ever choose to relinquish this card from my possession. Although I hope that the workmanship on the card is great, I am confident that the restoration will be evident. It would be impossible to completely hide this level of restoration work. I am also hoping to get the card slabbed at next year's national. I would be happy with an "authentic" or "restored" or "altered" grade, as I am just looking to get the card into a holder to protect it, especially with the restoration that is going to be done.