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Gregg

Moderator
Registered:1156279188
Posts: 1,148

Posted 1175574730	Reply with quote #1

This was a new one on me. Benoit had asked me to check my old Gibson label with a black light. The serial number is completely faded, but apparently the black light can sometimes show remnants (some component) of the 100-year-old pencil inscription. I plan to do this when it comes back from Carlsbad. Meanwhile, this weekend a fellow right down the street inherited a Dyer and brought it over for evaluation. It had a pre-1912 Knutsen-signed label, but nothing was remotely visible anymore. So Jaci found our black light (one uses it to check for old dog urine, among other things) and I shined it over the hole. It didn't seem to do much, until we turned off all other lights in the room. NOW the ghostly purple glow showed "C. Knutsen" - Chris' signature, still hard to see, but all there in black. The Style # was a mess, but the serial # was pretty clear - 14X (9, 3 or 5), an early specimen. It worked, Ben! I recommend anyone with old Dyers and Gibsons to try it - let's collect some more numbers! __________________ Gregg Miner, editor, Harpguitars.net

BMS

Registered:1156365442
Posts: 415

Posted 1175589394	Reply with quote #2

You can thanks Anne Sophie for here participation too! It was in here books on paper art restauration that I found the trick

MKnut

Registered:1157919366
Posts: 159

Posted 1175649064	Reply with quote #3

I believe there are also mega-expensive UV lenses (used by document historians, painting restorers and CSI-type detectives) to photograph black light images. I was in the Angelus Temple Parsonnage today talking to the Director and they have a huge scroll signed by the Founders of the Church. Maybe half of the signatures have faded. I mentioned your black-light technique to her and she really got excited about the possibility of finally deciphering some of the names... I was excited as well, as Knutsen or Knutsen relatives may be on there too. __________________ Darrell Urbien Member, Echo Park Historical Society

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