Question about dust jacket repairs

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Rob Houghton
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Question about dust jacket repairs

Post by Rob Houghton »

I'm just gauging opinion here - a question I've been mulling over lately. Should I repair dust jackets that have small tears or chips using paper and a stick-glue (like pritt stick) on the reverse of the wrapper (something I've usually done to all my books in the past) or is it preferable to leave them and not repair them at all?

This question has come up because a man buying a book from me on eBay didn't like the fact the wrapper was neatly mended on the reverse with paper. He's since asked to buy another one, which I'm selling for £10.00 - and has offered me £7.50 because of the repairs.

Personally, I prefer neatly mended wrappers - and I wouldn't object to paying £10.00 for a book with a mended wrapper when books without wrappers are often being sold for considerably more than that.

I can see that maybe mending a jacket makes it lose value, so I can see it from both sides, but I have many other customers who regularly buy from me and haven't complained.

Just wondered - should I mend, or leave tatty? :D

The buyer told me he prefers to mend tears with transparent tape, but I believe this would mark the wrappers?
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: Question about dust jacket repairs

Post by Fiona1986 »

As long as it is a neat and well-done repair I can't see the problem!
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John Pickup
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Re: Question about dust jacket repairs

Post by John Pickup »

I agree. A neat repair can protect against further damage and enhance the appearance of the cover.
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Re: Question about dust jacket repairs

Post by Tony Summerfield »

If you use the right sort of tape it doesn't mark the wrapper, Rob. Never use ordinary sellotape that really does damage the wrapper!
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Rob Houghton
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Re: Question about dust jacket repairs

Post by Rob Houghton »

I would never use sellotape, but now I've been told paper isn't good either. However, as the buyer in question was still happy to buy my paper-mended wrapper for £7.50 instead of £10.00, I'm guessing he isn't too bothered but just wants it cheaper. ;-)

I've read up about the subject and opinion seems to be split. Obviously if I had a signed first edition, then I might not mend the wrapper at all. I'm presuming there's a special sort of tape that's preferable for mending wrappers...but then again many people say they shouldn't be mended at all. :?
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: Question about dust jacket repairs

Post by Moonraker »

I would prefer an "un-mended" copy. That way, if the purchaser wants to mend it he can.
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Re: Question about dust jacket repairs

Post by Lucky Star »

Unmended and protected in a plastic cover would be my own preference but it wouldn't be a big deal for me either way.
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Re: Question about dust jacket repairs

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

I always back my dust jackets in protected covers, and so if a jacket is torn, I just try and make it look presentable, then place it in the protective cover, and it stays in place. :)

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Rob Houghton
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Re: Question about dust jacket repairs

Post by Rob Houghton »

so would people buy protective covers to sell them in, and if so would that put the price up?
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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John Pickup
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Re: Question about dust jacket repairs

Post by John Pickup »

I buy dustwrapper protective covering by the roll and cut the length to suit the book. I think I paid £23 for my last roll and it normally covers 70-80 books so that's about 30p per book.
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Rob Houghton
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Re: Question about dust jacket repairs

Post by Rob Houghton »

Thanks for your comments everyone. :-D

I think the one thing that confused me was that the man wanting to buy my book didn't want it stuck with paper and wouldn't pay £10 but offered to buy it for £7.50 when suddenly the fact it was stuck with paper didn't seem to bother him so much. He also said he would rather I'd stuck it with tape.

But it seems here that the consensus would be NOT to mend the books! :-D
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: Question about dust jacket repairs

Post by Courtenay »

I wouldn't have a problem with a mended dust jacket if it was done very well and as close to invisible as possible, but then I'm not a "serious" collector. :wink: Interesting to realise that some would prefer not to have it done. I agree, the protective covering seems to be the best way to go.
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Re: Question about dust jacket repairs

Post by aminmec »

In the collecting world mending a torn book amounts to changing its natural state ...hence many collectors would rather prefer to own it damaged or in best state ..as a first preference .No doubt mending with paper will make it much presentable but its like mutilating it.
Scotch tape or magic tape is acceptable by some as its almost invisible to see .Also it doesn't leave a brown residue over time on paper as ordinary cellotape does ...
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Rob Houghton
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Re: Question about dust jacket repairs

Post by Rob Houghton »

Thanks for your input. I can see it from both sides...and if I'm selling a book I once owned and had on a shelf that it would usually be mended because that's how I like my books to be,personally. I hate to see rows of scruffy jackets on a book shelf.

I guess the collecting world will always be very contradictory. I might sell a Famous Five with mended wrapper for £12....I always sell books with copy covers for the price of a book without a cover - so maybe a Five book with copy cover would cost £6.99 at most...and yet other sellers will offer a book with a copy cover for sometimes as much as £50, because it has a copy cover...and others actually sell copy covers without the book for £7.50.

Personally, I would much rather pay £50 for a book with a mended real jacket than pay £50 for a book with a photocopied jacket!

Its a funny old world.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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