ok just had a Reply from Gibson .......Gibson guitars have all the characteristics of guitars that are still produced in the classic American way, like guitars were made many decades ago. They are still handmade, using exactly the same materials and ways that they always been famous for. While other manufacturers apply more modern lacquers that will seal the wood off like in an air tight shell, Gibson has never moved away from traditional nitro lacquer. Nitro finish slowly absorbs into the wood over the years which ensures that the guitar ages and the wood ‘breathes’ during its life-time. Over time the finish will start to crack slightly, called finish checking. A Gibson guitar is regarded as being at its best once the wood has shifted and settled which actually ensures great tone and playability years later.
What we see on the photos looks like the typical signs of aging and playing in the wood, which appear on many nitro cellulose guitars after some years. Usually you do not need to worry about such things which are regarded by many players as marks of a high quality guitar.