Thanks FedEx - A test on saving a print

[jjttdw]

A few months ago I bought Print and Destroy off eBay. It was a decent price for a print I'd wanted for a while. The seller was a guy who had owned it for its entire life and was ready to move it along. A week or so later, this showed up:



The punchline is where it read "DO NOT BEND OR CRUSH". The tube it was sent in was poor quality but I've had prints arrive safely in the same type of tube before. It looked like a cinnamon roll tube that had been cracked. FedEx wrapped the destroyed tube in tape to keep it together. Here is how the back looked the first time I took it out.



So the seller was not experienced is print shipping and thought he was doing a good job so I didn't give him fudge. He was also smart enough to insure it for the sale price + shipping. So I helped the guy out by taking photos and getting the claim filed. Due to the amount of the claim FedEx wanted the print/tube and came and picked it up. Seller refunded me and I thought that was the end of it. A month later the tube showed up at my door even more damaged. I dropped the seller a note and he said he didn't care if I kept it. Taking it out a second time showed more damage. Here is the back the second time.



Here is close up of how some of the damaged looked like from the front.



I've used Poster Mountain in the past and figured that I would see if they could put it in some sort of acceptable condition. It was either that or throw it away. When it is fixed I will post pics of the result and cost and you can decide for yourself whether it was worth it.

[kansasbbq]

Total bummer!

[jjttdw]

Now let see how much of a total bummer it was. To recap, print jacked up in transit, got a refund and the damaged print. So going in I am out $0. Lets look at the before and after. First, a couple close ups of a couple sections on the front::

Top edge before




size=150]Top edge after [/size]




Top middle before




Top middle after





Now the back...nowhere better to see how damaged the print actually as.




This is how it looks now from the back. The shaded areas are just where the inks are




Finally, here is a full view of the front now.




So here are the costs:

$15 - Shipping to Poster Mountain
$120 - Flattening
$60 - Return shipping (flat in a plywood sandwich)
______
$200 total cost all in

I've had this done to another Obey print, Rocka Rolla, which was 9" x 24". When it came back it was 9" x 24 3/8". I just checked Print and Destroy and it still measures 18" x 24" exactly.

Even if I sold it as a restored print I'd like to think that it would fetch at least $400. Anyone think less or more? I think it was a good investment.

Honestly, if I didn't have the option of flattening the print I might have just thrown it away. It is surprising to me what can be done to fix the damage on a print.

[Arterre]

Great!, Thanks for sharing that story. Impressive job, Did they give any clues how they did it ?
Perhaps a drymount press with the absolutely correct amount of moisture and heat ...wow, surprising

[electrachrome]

so no stamp or anything to indicate that it's been restored? there was talk about them looking into doing that years back.

[electrachrome]

Great!, Thanks for sharing that story. Impressive job, Did they give any clues how they did it ?
Perhaps a drymount press with the absolutely correct amount of moisture and heat ...wow, surprising

there was a process thread or how to (either here or on their web site).
wet print on glass & treat with a proprietary solution that strengthens the paper. it's some sort of gelatin or starch ...idk
downside is print cant really be rolled again (or shouldn't at the very least) and has to ship flat.

[jjttdw]

The paper does feel a little different and I do remember something about gelatin when I had Rocka Rolla done.

Nothing to indicate it was restored.

Its like it was starched and ironed by the hand of God.

[Codeblue]

#datdoublediptho

[bubbie]

Looks great and totally worth it. Thanks for the thread. Pretty impressive what they can do.

P. S. I am fortunate to have never seen a tube drymounted up this badly yet. What the drymount, really?

[MaxCollinsII]

Don't EVER roll it again.

[jamel-d]

Don't EVER roll it again.

This

[jjttdw]

Thanks for the no rolling advice. Have one of you done so and damaged a print?

[Kramerica]

I don't have personal experience but do recall an incident that played out here or on fb where someone was sold a high value Stout that had been restored. The seller did not disclose the restoration to the buyer and the print arrived damaged from rolling it after it had been restored. It caused the ink to crinkle on the surface of the print or something like that IIRC.

[Codeblue]

Luls.

[kansasbbq]

Thanks for the no rolling advice. Have one of you done so and damaged a print?

Ask PM about it. That's why they shipped it back flat instead of in a tube.