microscopy

[Archive]

Posted By: Hankron 

After my last post on Bond bread cards, two emailed me to say they got microscopes-- so now I feel obligated.

Starting Monday at me website's 'Pack Secrets' newsletter section (www.cycleback.com) I will start a series of brief but informative and practical articles on using your new microscope (80x power or better) to authenticate early baseball cards. It will include lots of microscopic pictures and what to look for.

Just like like all areas of technology-- from cards to medicine to computers-- printing technology and techniques changed over time. What was popular in 1910 might be obsolete in 1970, and what is popular in 1995 didn't exist 1950. Each type of printing can be identified with a microscope, because, quite simply, each type of printing looks different from the other. When the collector knows what to look for, he will no more mistake a 1980 lithograph for a 1910 lithograph than he will a Mazda Miata for a Model T (Though as Elliot will testify, I'm not good with cars).

Also, you do not have to be some big printing historian and know how such and such printing was made. You simply have to know what such and such looks like under a microscope and when and how it was used. Those who have microscopes will find themselves saying in the future, "Okay, this type of printing is vintage, so this card is genuine." Or "This type of printing wasn't used on baseball cards in 1905, so this has to be a reprint."

Lastly, baseball cards have always been mass produced commercial products, almost always made with the latest technology of the day. This means that, say, in 1880 or 1930 cards were only made using 2 or 3 types of printing. So, it's not a case where the collector is required to memoraize the elements table for the Chemistry final or all the local flora and fauna before joining the nature club ... It is also perfectly acceptable, and in fact advisable, to learn one thing at a time. If, for example, all you ever learn is how to identify photoengraving, you will have learned how to identify the printing on 40 percent of all cards. If, on the other hand, all you ever learn is how to identify laser printing, you will never again be fooled by a card made on someone's home computer printer.

As noted, the illustrated articles will be posted at the website starting Monday, and a new one will be added periodically (perhaps once a week, though that's a guestimate). Usually, once an article is posted at the 'Pack Secrets' it stays there forever (some on there are about 3 years old-- that's as old as Henry!), so there's no need to feel rushed for fear that the articals are ephemeral.