Wizard of Oz

[Chris Hedges]

This is another one I had posted up before. I like sharing this one, because I think it turned out pretty cool. AND I like The Wizard of Oz. :-)

I had an old copy of Oz-- 5th edition, 1st state, with 16 color art plates inside. Copyright is 1899, but this edition was printed circa 1913.

It was in very bad shape--the cover falling off, ripped and falling out pages. brittle at the edges.







So I tore it down--









I repaired all the signatures, fixed the ripped pages, replaced all the art that was falling out, resewed the entire thing and added fresh endsheets. I built a new cover and was able to save the original cover art and spine which I then laid on to the fresh cover.

The one thing that may make book restoration buffs cringe--to take care of the brittle edges around the text block, I shaved them down just a hair to keep them from getting any worse or causing any more rips. Only just a little though. Here's what it came out like--













Don't know if I increased the value or not, but it couldn't have hurt it. lol Anyway, you could actually sit down and read the thing now, where as before, there would have been no way.

There you have it. Hope you like.

~C

[gnbraun]

Chris. You are bloody amazing. I wish I had a quarter of your ability with old books...hell, a TENTH!

[sgambino]

That is amazing!!! So you weren't the one that wrote in it? ha ha

[Chris Hedges]

Nope. That book, actually, I found on a shelf in a closet of a house we moved in to about 10 years ago. It was just, there. There were a few others that I don't remember, bet I DO remember we sold them for about $150 a piece.

~C

[Chris Hedges]

A nice copy of this particular edition, and there are MANY editions, goes for between $300-$600. The condition I found it in it was worth, probably, $75. I think, maybe, it's back up into that higher range now.

~C

[markgunnells]

That is beautiful work. You've got mad skills.

[talltyrion]

I am mightily impressed.

[Chris Hedges]

Aug 12, 2011 14:59:42 GMT -6 talltyrion said:

I am mightily impressed.

Thanks! I appreciate that. :-)

~C