PSA Photo Authentication Fees

[thecatspajamas]

Originally Posted by drcy

An irony is modern photos can be harder to authenticate/date than old ones. For example, an old image can often be easily identified as a modern reprint due to the obviously modern paper-- but a modern original is going to be on modern paper.

One thing to look at with modern photos is the photo paper, specifically the branding on back ('This is a Kodak Paper' or whatever printed across the back). If you know the different brands (and there are many) that is helpful in dating a photo. Even with Kodak, they regularly change the wording and style of their branding on back of their paper.

I had an autograph authenticator email me about the branding on the back of a modern signed celebrity photo. The celebrity was a famously reluctant signer. There was an accompanying story from the submitter that the signature was obtained in person in 1989, and the autograph expert wanted to know if the Kodak branding on back was consistent with that era/story. It was.

David,
Do you know of anywhere (book, website, or otherwise) where the back branding dates of various photo papers is cataloged? I've seen some rough dates for at least some Kodak papers up through the 1980's as outlined below, but nothing more recent or for other manufacturers. Granted, most that I've seen are either Kodak or unbranded until you get into modern times, but would still be a handy reference to have.

The Kodak dates I've seen given:

VELOX = Late 1920's - Late 1940's

KODAK
VELOX = 1950's - 1960's
PAPER

A KODAK PAPER = 1960's - early 1970's

THIS PAPER
MANUFACTURED = 1970's - 1980's
BY KODAK