Black lights are helpful, but the best way is to inspect the printing. Get a microscope, learn about photoengraving during that time period, & then you can be sure. Also, when possible compare it to a Tunney Fro Joy under a scope. Sure, cards were photoengraved after the 20's, but they still have to duplicate the ink & paper. Look at a card from the 60's that's photoengraved under a scope. The ink is usually much neater than cards from the 20's since they are not using the same ink & certainly not the same paper. Yes I've heard talk of the original printing plates being used to reprint these, but I doubt it. Even if that was true, you could still authenticate them using a scope, & comparing to a Tunney, or a known original ruth.
|