Ty Cobb Turkey Red - Help With Tape Removal

[Prof]

Hey, everyone. I picked this up as part of a lot. (Feel free to call me an idiot if it screams fake to you. I'm no expert.)

It was framed under glass and a matte. I just disassembled the frame to expose the back, and found it taped to the matting.

What should I do about the tape? Obviously the card is heavily cut, but I wouldn't want to damage it further.

Click thumbnails for hi-res pics.

Front:



Back attached to matting with tape:



Close up of the heels to show ink:

[sb1]

It appears to be archival tape, which is similar to blue painters tape and will pull off with no damage. I can't guarantee it, but it looks so. I would start slow and be especially careful along the rough cut edge of the cabinet where it will be most prone to pull paper with it.

It appears to be a 100% real T3, just cut down.

[sb1]

IF I were to do it. I would loosen the tape on a corner on the cabinet and pull away from it(a very careful fingernail should be enough to get a corner started). By not start on the matting and pull into the cabinet, that will help prevent pulling the paper stock on the cut edge.

[Sterling Sports Auctions]

I think it looks cool matted. Sorry can't help about the tape but Scott appears to be on to a good possibility.

What are your plans for it? In it's current form it is a great display piece

Lee

[conor912]

Blow dryer. It’ll melt the glue.

[Jobu]

If those other suggestions don't work, you can take an insurance card - something hard, thin, and flexible - and very gently, slowly, and firmly push the tape off bit by bit. The risk with trying to get a corner and pulling is that you might still get some of the paper even with conservator's tape. Obviously all options have risk in this case.

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by Sterling Sports Auctions

I think it looks cool matted. Sorry can't help about the tape but Scott appears to be on to a good possibility.

What are your plans for it? In it's current form it is a great display piece

Lee

I like it as displayed but I can understand taking it out. Above advise is best I could think of

Good luck and show ascend results after

[Prof]

Thanks for the tips. I was going to try the careful fingernail first, starting on the card and pulling out to the matte, since it's a more removal friendly tape. Then, I'll try the other ideas if that goes nowhere.

There was a marking on the frame that said it was done in 1989. So, it may be a little stuck on there. I didn't want to mess with it without outside opinions.

I agree that it does look good matted. Unfortunately, it was matted alongside of a fake autograph. (I expected that to be fake, but thought the card looked good.) I was really hoping that the framer just matted over the card's borders. I pulled the frame apart to see the back, then cut the matte in half to just keep the Turkey Red portion.

I may remove the tape, then re-tape it with a better backing and put it in a new frame.

But, I was thinking about just sending it off to be graded and potentially selling somewhere.

I got such a good deal on it that I'm in no rush, and this is my first Cobb card. Might savor it a bit first before parting with it haha.


Oh, and if I was going to submit to PSA or SGC... Since this one is cut, would you recommend using a Card Saver 4 size semi-rigid holder? They don't make the soft penny sleeves that big, right? Just put it right in the Card Saver 4? If it won't fit the 4, what should I use?

I've only done standard cards before.

[FrankWakefield]

I agree with much of what's said above. Let us know how your results go. That may well be archival tape, and as such it should release well.


If you aren't good with your results after trying those, and you want to go an additional step... go to rubber cement thinner. Amazon: Bestine rubber cement thinner search for that, it'll come in a metal can, keep the lid tight and it'll last a while. Put a SMALL amount on a Q-tip and touch it to ink on a much less valuable T3, then blot it away. You want to see if the ink is going to run... I think it won't, but don't use THAT T3 you have on your learning curve. The rubber cement thinner is basically benzine. That's a non-polar solvent that should let the tape adhesive soften and release.

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by sb1

It appears to be a 100% real T3, just cut down.

Imo

It's trimmed down beyond belief with writing. Not worth ruining removing from it's current position. It would look awful in an "A" slab. All my.opinion and FWIW I had a complete set with all variations and boxers so I am partial to the set!