Due to family circumstances (elderly father hospitalised), I have just opened a consolidated parcel forwarded from the NZ Post Youshop UK warehouse and discovered the contents of one package inside the consolidated one has had Youshop Warehouse tape applied to the original retail box of a vintage toy.
To say I'm furious is to say the least!
Vintage toys in their original boxes are very difficult to obtain as you all know, especially those in complete original packaging. To have an employee of Youshop ADD modern tape to a vintage box exterior in a manner that will make it almost impossible if not impossible to remove without damaging the vintage box almost makes me scream. (why don't we have a screaming emoji?)Clearly Youshop and its staff do not understand that the box a vintage toy comes in is often more valuable to the collector than the toy itself. In fact the boxes for vintage toys are often sold separately from the toy because they fetch a higher value than the toy. Having said that it is highly unlikely I will be able to procure this particular box again as they are very rare. I can see no reason for the application of the tape by Youshop staff as the vintage box is of the type with a TUCK IN end flap! From my perusal of the package I do not see any damage to the taped end flap that might have led Youshop staff to the conclusion it needed taping.
The value if this item has been greatly reduced due to the action of the warehouse staff. Why would anyone with a reasonable working brain deem it necessary to tape a box that they had UNFOLDED in the first place rather than folding it back up?
I have embedded photos of the taped box - at this stage I have only opened the opposite end in order to check the actual toy inside (which is fine). What I need now is comments on possible ways to remove the tape WITHOUT destroying the original artwork and exterior of the box. My initial attempt to very carefully remove the tape has revealed that no matter how carefully and slowly I peel the tape and glue from the original box, it lifts the yellow colour from the box and also the green and black printing. I suspect only an experienced conservator could remove the tape and even then I believe damage will occur....
HELP!!!
Ian
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