Examining watermarks

Gillian Boal <gboal<-a t->library< . >berkeley< . >edu> writes

>We have a need in the library to minimize the handling that scholars
>do to view the watermarks in papers--typically holding the whole
>book up to the light. What do other institutions do?
>
>Does anyone know of a source for a light box similar to the one
>Conservation Resources used to sell--Astralite Light Panel (they say
>that it came from England and the difference in voltage means it
>doesn't work well enough to be useful. They have had too many
>complaints so they are no longer sending them out).

I would recommend the fibre optic light sheet unit from University
Products of Canada. We have been using it at the CCA . It provides a
safe heat-free and UV-free bright light used for back illumination in
bound books for research of watermarks, repairs and photograph. It
is flexible and quite thin.. I find is very useful and gentle for
books.

Marie Trottier
Restauratrice de livre
Centre Canadien d'Architecture
1920 Baile, Montreal, (Quebec) H3H 2S6
514-939-7000
Fax: 514-939-7020

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:44
                 Distributed: Friday, November 14, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-11-44-007
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