Watermarks

Theresa Fairbanks-Harris <theresa.fairbanks-harris [at] yale__edu> writes

>We are trying to find and record any watermarks present on a large
>(7 foot) 16th century cartoon.  There are no watermarks or chain
>lines visible using transmitted light because the paper support is
>varnished and then mounted onto paper and canvas secondary supports.
>Now we are looking into other methods of examination.

It is worth finding out whether the use of near infrared
reflectography can help in this case. The idea is to illuminate
the cartoon from the back with a relative high IR illumination
source, and place the camera (or, best, with infrared videocam) in
front of the cartoon. Since the IR energy has relative strong
penetration--I suggest to use IR filter around the 1000 nanometer--,
it might  work out better than other techniques. My opinion is that
X-rays in this case are hard to control for lower energy penetration
through the cartoon, cloth and varnish and the beta radiation is too
weak for a such. Good luck,

Michael Maggen
Head of Paper Conservation
The Israel Museum Jerusalem,
PO Box 71117
91710 Jerusalem Israel
972 2 67 08808
Fax: +972 2 563 1833


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 16:9
                   Distributed: Monday, July 29, 2002
                        Message Id: cdl-16-9-009
                                  ***