Gnat the Beggar wrote:How would that affect values?
And how would it affect condition grading?

Reason I ask is that I recently purchased a rare book that is in fact laminated.
The lamination is on the front and rear of the book and wraps into the inside of the cover (front and back).

Seller did NOT mention anything about the lamination and the pictures shown (five total) did not show any evidence of it either.

To me lamination would be pretty heavy damage to a collectable. I have to rate something like that as in poor condition.

Lamination is usually a deal breaker for me too.  Its probably worse than having the name in pen inside.  However, with the name in pen on the inside, I would consider the book in a lower grade already so maybe the addition of lamination doesn't degrade it too much more (but definitely a bit).

To quanitfy, probably either name or lamination would degrade it 50% then the additional afront another 25%.

The book is digest size with cardstock covers and the lamination covers the staples as well.
There are no noticeable bubbles or ripples in the lamination.
I have to admit that the lamination work itself is the best I have ever seen, but it still concerns me greatly.

I have no doubt that the sales price would have been MUCH Lower if the seller had simply stated "this books covers are laminated".
My bids for this item were made with the knowledge/belief (according to sellers description) that the inked initials were the ONLY flaws in an otherwise Near Mint book.

The main reason the sellers first statements are somewhat true (about the tightness of the cover) is DUE TO THE Lamination!

I am starting to get really peeved and downright sick of all the untrue, incomplete and/or crappy sellers descriptions.

to me lamination means it is a reading copy only, i.e. poor condition. we are looking at all the same auctions John; i didn't bid on that because i thought it had been laminated...

My question...

Dear toohoneststeve,
You did not think that the completely laminated covers was worth mentioning in your description?
- aneoth

Sellers answer...

Dear aneoth,
I didn't think to mention it because all of the older books that I have from the '70's are like that.
If you did some research on these books from that era they were actually produced in the authors homes not in a factory.
There are many discrepencies in these books that you would not find in factory runs.
In some of these old D & D books the image is actually in the laminate not on the cover. - toohoneststeve

While this response is entertaining, it really disturbs me on many levels.
Apparently, I have been collecting forgeries of old books for many years now.
NONE of my supposedly rare collectable books from the 70's have any lamination at all.
Not even the 1st Edition Chainmail I once owned was laminated!
Neither is my 2nd Edition Chainmail,  or the 2nd Print copy of The Dwarven Glory I recently sold!
The books in my 2nd Print Wood grain Box Set, The Ringbearer, What Price Glory, DragonTree Press, The Spellcaster's Bible, Ardiun, all of my Judges Guild stuff from the 70's, all of my OD&D stuff including all my 1st print supplements!

CRAP... All this time I have been getting ripped off buying unlamented forgeries!!

So does anyone else here have another copy of "The Book of Sorcery" by Dan Bress and Ed Konstant (Little Soldier Games, 1977)?
If so, was it originally laminated?
Did this book come laminated and was it printed by Little Soldier Games in their home/garage?
Was Little Soldier Games a home/garage company in 1977, or ever?

I have 8 of the Little Soldier digest books and 2 copies of the one in question.  None of them are laminted and honestly, I can't think of any similiar style books being laminated.  Little Soldier, Arduin, Fantasy Art Enterprises, Dragon Tree Press, Adventurers Guild, John Scott Clegg, Dave Casciano, IDD, Matt Whalley, etc.

I can't think of any similar digest sized books that were laminated.

Sounds like too-honest-steve should be not-too-honest-steve.

Yes, you and I know that, but how would I convince Too Honest Steve of that?

Kingofpain89 wrote:Why bother?  Ask for a refund or keep it.  No need to try and educate every bad seller on the planet.  There isnt enough time and most of them dont care.

I agree.  So far it seems like all honest-steve has been interested in is excuses.  The description is typical of a seller who over evaluates and wants to ignore the flaws.

A small pet peeve:

"The only fault I see in this book is the owner wrote his initials in blue pen on the top right corner of the first page. There are no marks or writing in the book ."

There are no marks or writing other than ... the one I just mentioned but just ignore that.

Kingofpain89 wrote:
Why bother?  Ask for a refund or keep it.  No need to try and educate every bad seller on the planet.  There isnt enough time and most of them dont care.

Too bad a lot of these companies didnt laminate their product.  Stuff would last much longer.  I have an S3 that is laminated and it looks fantastic.  

I agree. From a collectibility standpoint clearly something like this is in "poor" condition, and should have been mentioned by the seller (though it is visible upon careful inspection of the pics).

But from a gaming standpoint lamination is a real feature. I've had a few TSR modules with nicely laminated covers, and it completely halts the inevitable splitting along the spine, and makes them basically cola-proof, too . I can totally understand why someone BITD would laminate these books if they were actually to be used. Which is kinda what these were designed for, after all. I would likely laminate all of my reading/playing copies of RPG materials if it could be donely cheaply and professionally.