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Old 02-03-2014, 04:28 PM
steve B steve B is offline
Steve Birmingham
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: eastern Mass.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Runscott View Post
Yes, and if they could create the technology in 1909, then, even though it's been abandoned now, it could certainly be created today. The problem is still what shows up under the microscope - there is not pattern to lithography, especially the intricate stuff they created in the late 1800's. They even had special jobs for 'painters' (wrong term I'm sure) who created all those beautiful but not predictable, dot patterns in the backgrounds.

From my meager knowledge of the process, it seems like re-creating these lithographs would be similar to forging a painting. I think you could do it, and even come up with, for example, a copy of a T206 Wagner that at first (or even second) glance would be almost exact, but if you looked at specific areas under a magnifier and compared, the forgery would be immediately noticed. But...plastic slabs could take care of that. Get it slabbed and it's probably safe from detection.

It's never been abandoned. The traditional methods are still used by artists, and while the details of the process have changed a bit the underlying process is unchanged. Recreating a card from the era would still be a challenge to get the materials just right, but I don't think it's impossible.

Steve B
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