Robert asked; "What does his proposal have to do with reproductions and fakes?"

Absolutely nothing Robert ... as long as the "restoration" is disclosed to a subsequent buyer ... since it ceases to be "original" after it has been tampered with.

I guess my coin collecting background is showing again. They used to call it "whizzing" in coins ... which became a very dishonorable term and those dealers who practiced it were not looked upon very favorably.

I know; those who see nothing wrong with removing portions of the surface of a chip to make it look nicer will compare this "art" to restoring an automobile and/or furniture. I view it differently.

To each his own.