Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Am looking at options for identifying watermarks especially in older issues. I bought a Morley Bright watermark detector some time ago which uses an ink pad and pressure to highlight the watermark, however I had to purchase a new ink pad a couple of months ago and despite numerous exchanges with the supplier, this is not fit for purpose. (not enough ink in replacement sachet)
Has anyone any suggestions of what method I could use - obviously cost is a factor in deciding which will be for the best.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Stuart
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i have the best luck with Ronsonol; I am able to determine the watermark in about 2/3 of the stamps I look at. I put the stamp against black page or in a black ridged tray. Occasionally I also hold it up the light.
I have used Morley Brights with far less success, even with a fresh ink bladder.
I consider myself an unaccomplished watermark sleuth, just to provide perspective
David
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lighter fluid all the way. at $14.00 for a bottle
of watermark fluid, forget it. $1.57 for a can of Rosonol at Walmart. What I need is new eyes.
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H David
I presume Ronsonol is some form of lighter fluid - does this not cause any damage to the stamp - presumably only to be used in a well ventilated room.
Stuart
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I have had a good experience with scanning the back of the stamp against a black background. I increase the size of the stamp, change the colors to gray scale and adjust the contrast. I find this makes the watermark pop out quite well.
Regards ... Tim.
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Hi Tim,
What dpi?
Bruce
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01:56:37pm
Years ago a neighbor was discarding an old lamp that had a black stone base. It has a small chip on one corner probably from her husband trying to knock sense into her head.
Anyway, I took the base from the lamp and have used it for wellover thirty years now as a platform to check watermarks. It is about ten inches on a side, one inch thick and quite heavy with a few white streaks that do not affect its usefullness.
I continue to mention "Rubbing Alcohol" as my fluid of choice since it is much less expensive than lighter fluid or other chemicals often recommended and it seems to be a tad less dangerous than lighter fluid. At least it seems so to me.
It evaporates quickly from the stone base and does not leave any residue that I have noticed.
But like all such long chain carbon molecules it does give off fumes and could be dangeous if it is used carelessly.
No Fumar !!!
Ne pas Fumar !
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Bruce,
I just used 72 dpi because my monitor won't display more than that.
Regards .... Tim.
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Stuart, yes, Ronsonol is a lighter fluid. Comes in flask with retractrable spout. Pretty cheap. Ventillation is a good idea. And, to quote Charlie, "ne pas fumar" and, in the language of my ancestors, "Nem dohányzom."
I don't get 100% of the WMKs; and early US are notoriously tricky anyway, so it may not be my fault or Ronsonol's.
I'm going to try Tim's method next week with some early German stamps I got from Miquel.
David
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Hi Bruce,
In answer to your question dpi= dots per inch, when scanning. The higher the dpi, the higher the resolution.
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08:15:42am
Hi
Am looking at options for identifying watermarks especially in older issues. I bought a Morley Bright watermark detector some time ago which uses an ink pad and pressure to highlight the watermark, however I had to purchase a new ink pad a couple of months ago and despite numerous exchanges with the supplier, this is not fit for purpose. (not enough ink in replacement sachet)
Has anyone any suggestions of what method I could use - obviously cost is a factor in deciding which will be for the best.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Stuart
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re: Identifying Watermarks
i have the best luck with Ronsonol; I am able to determine the watermark in about 2/3 of the stamps I look at. I put the stamp against black page or in a black ridged tray. Occasionally I also hold it up the light.
I have used Morley Brights with far less success, even with a fresh ink bladder.
I consider myself an unaccomplished watermark sleuth, just to provide perspective
David
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11:13:23am
re: Identifying Watermarks
H David
I presume Ronsonol is some form of lighter fluid - does this not cause any damage to the stamp - presumably only to be used in a well ventilated room.
Stuart
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re: Identifying Watermarks
I have had a good experience with scanning the back of the stamp against a black background. I increase the size of the stamp, change the colors to gray scale and adjust the contrast. I find this makes the watermark pop out quite well.
Regards ... Tim.
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
30 Mar 2011
01:56:37pm
re: Identifying Watermarks
Years ago a neighbor was discarding an old lamp that had a black stone base. It has a small chip on one corner probably from her husband trying to knock sense into her head.
Anyway, I took the base from the lamp and have used it for wellover thirty years now as a platform to check watermarks. It is about ten inches on a side, one inch thick and quite heavy with a few white streaks that do not affect its usefullness.
I continue to mention "Rubbing Alcohol" as my fluid of choice since it is much less expensive than lighter fluid or other chemicals often recommended and it seems to be a tad less dangerous than lighter fluid. At least it seems so to me.
It evaporates quickly from the stone base and does not leave any residue that I have noticed.
But like all such long chain carbon molecules it does give off fumes and could be dangeous if it is used carelessly.
No Fumar !!!
Ne pas Fumar !
Login to Like
this post
re: Identifying Watermarks
Bruce,
I just used 72 dpi because my monitor won't display more than that.
Regards .... Tim.
Login to Like
this post
re: Identifying Watermarks
Stuart, yes, Ronsonol is a lighter fluid. Comes in flask with retractrable spout. Pretty cheap. Ventillation is a good idea. And, to quote Charlie, "ne pas fumar" and, in the language of my ancestors, "Nem dohányzom."
I don't get 100% of the WMKs; and early US are notoriously tricky anyway, so it may not be my fault or Ronsonol's.
I'm going to try Tim's method next week with some early German stamps I got from Miquel.
David
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08:53:14am
re: Identifying Watermarks
Hi Bruce,
In answer to your question dpi= dots per inch, when scanning. The higher the dpi, the higher the resolution.
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