Posted By:
davidcyclebackI'm not aware that vintage photo collectors are much more accepting of restoration. I think if
a large photo had a huge tear, it would be reasonable to repair the tear if the photo was going to
be displayed-- but think the average photo collector is against trimming and willy-nilly removing
the photographer's writing and stuff like that. Many collectors consider old photos historical artifacts
not items that should be manipulated for the sake of money.
I think something like a movie poster is more often restored because 1) The posters are fragile and often
need to be rebacked and repaired to prevent further damgage. A tear may become a larger tear with time. Movie
posters are usually on thin paper, not sturdy cardboard like with baseball cards. You might increase the tear
on a 1920 movie poster by simply carefully moving it from the closet to another room. 2) They are large and intended
to be displayed. If a poster is going to be displayed in the living room many won't want tears and
grease stains across it. This is different than a small baseball card stored in a box, and once in a while
looked at. Or even a card displayed on your office desk, where the individual card won't immediately catch
the eye of those who enter the room as a 3x2 Godzilla poster would. Many, even sports fans, might enter
your office several times before they consciously notice that baseball card next to your pens and your
calculator-- upon closer inspection, a card with a crease and dog ears that, if anything, give it charector.
I'm not a zealot about baseball cards restoration. If a collector owns a Mickey Mantle card with a 40 year old lime green
house paint drip on Mickey's nose, I appreceate the collector wishing to remove the drip. If a card is
nearly torn in half, I understand the owner wishing to have the card secured. If a kid scribbled in crayon
across the face of the card, I understand the card owner wishing to find a way to remove the crayon ... What
I am against are collectors altering a VgEx card to an artificial ExMt or higher simply to get more $$. As
with said photo collectors, I consider vintage baseball cards historical artifacts. In my opinion, if the only
reason to have an item restored is $$, it should not be restored.