Examining watermarks

Gillian Boal asks about lights useful for viewing watermarks in
bound books. At Rare Book School, we have had considerable success
with Zelco Micro Fluorescent Lanterns. These are folding, hand-held
battery-powered (takes 4 AAA batteries) 3" fluorescent tubes on a 5"
wand, providing a soft light that illuminates watermarks from behind
very nicely indeed, without the necessity of lifting an open book
off the table or other support. The lanterns are lightweight, and
the bulbs carry a lifetime guarantee. The only difficulty we have
had with the lights is getting students to learn how to unfold and
refold them properly: do it wrong and you destroy the unit.

The model number of these lanterns is 10018, and they may be
purchased by mail from Zelco:

    Zelco Industries, Inc.
    630 South Columbus Avenue
    C. S. 4445
    Mt Vernon, NY 10551-4445
    914-699-6230
    Toll-free: 1-800-431-2486
    Fax: 914-699-7082
    zlco<-a t->aol< . >com
    <URL:http://www.zelco.com>

The cost of the lanterns is $18 each when ordered in lots of six and
$15 each when ordered in lots of 12; Zelco will also sell individual
lanterns, but we do not buy them that way and I do not know the
price.  The company is easy to business with by telephone.

Potentially interested purchasers might like to be in touch with
Zelco and ask for a copy of their "Zelco Designs for You" Catalog,
which lists the whole line of Zelco booklights and many other
interesting toys as well. Zelco's Web page provides general ordering
information but unfortunately does not list the fluorescent lanterns
(their principal product would seem to be an Itty Bitty Book Light).

Terry Belanger
University Professor
University of Virginia
Book Arts Press
114 Alderman Library
Charlottesville, VA  22903
804-924-8851
Fax: 804-924-8824

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:43
                Distributed: Thursday, November 6, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-11-43-001
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