Feathering does sometimes happen on legitimate older items, but not standard paper that was intended for signing (letters etc). However if a person was signing something thick like a cardboard mount for a cabinet photo or thick scrapbook paper ink would sometimes feather when it was signed 100+ years ago. In 99% of the cases where you see feathering on old documents, run the other way BUT sometimes (especially with blue ink which is higher in water content than black) it would feather.
Feathering is caused by the paper drying out and sucking up the newly applied moisture too quickly, but poorly made or thick paper would feather 100 years ago too from time to time.
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