Piece Replacement
A few things a collector can look for when trying to detect if any pieces have been replaced.
Comic Book Daily
Discussing the minutiae of comic book collecting.
Comic Book Daily
Discussing the minutiae of comic book collecting.
Tracey Heft
An academically trained paper conservator with over 25 years experience, I've worked for museums and National Archives worldwide and since 1994, been the owner of Eclipse Paper Conservation.
In addition to that, I've been a collector of comic books and paper collectibles for over 35 years and contributed several articles to Overstreet’s Comic Book Monthly, Comic Book Marketplace, Collecting Hollywood, Comics Buyers Guide and rewrote the storage and preservation section in the 1995 and 1996 editions of the main Overstreet Price Guide for Comic Books.
Staple Manipulation
A book might have its staples restored – either through cleaning or outright replacement.
Trimming
Trimming is easily the most difficult form of restoration to detect, at least with any degree of certainty.
Halftone patterns and overpainting
But more than a quick glance at almost any comic book cover in existence will reveal that all the blue’s, red’s, green’s and especially grey’s are far more than a simple blotch of colour on paper.
Blacklights
While some evidence of restoration can be revealed by viewing a book in natural daylight and using a magnification loupe, my favourite tool in detecting restoration (both amateur and professional) is my UVA blacklight.
Detecting Restoration: Color Touch
Detecting Restoration - a "how to" for the convention goer. Spotting color touch.