Cycleback's The Vintage Collector newsletter

Cycleback’s THE VINTAGE COLLECTOR

by David Rudd

www.cycleback.com

Issue: February 22, 2002

* The Vintage Collector is an occasional email newsletter, covering authentication and related topics in fine and collectable arts. Comments, questions and submissions are welcome.

CONTENTS

1) Looking at Vintage Pre-1930 Wire Photos

2) Electrostatic Counterfeits

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1) LOOKING AT VINTAGE PRE-1930 WIRE PHOTOS

Wire photos were real photographs used from the turn of the century to the 1970s to make the pictures in newspapers and magazines. Not only historically significant, they are highly collectable. Many offer wonderful shots of famous people and events, from Charlie Chaplin on a movie set to Red Grange scoring a touchdown. I've long been an advocate of wire photos, because they are scarce yet often inexpensive. I've seen a few high end examples sell for several thousand dollars, but must are affordable to the average collector.

A common problem for the collector is judging the age of a wire photo. This is because wire photos were often reproduced over the years by the news service. There was a variety of reasons for this reproduction, including to keep their files up to date or because they needed a person's photo for a breaking story. This means that a wire photo showing Red Grange in 1925 may be from 1925, 1927, 1950 or 1965. All wire photos, original or later generation, are rare and collectable, usually with the news service's stamp on back for identification. I have seen some quality later generation examples sell for over five hundred dollars. However, the vintage examples are generally more desired and expensive.

While wire photos is an esoteric area with no published guide, this brief article will give a few tips to help the collector in identifying the earliest (Pre-1930) examples. While there are specific things to look for on the earliest wire photos, personal experience is important. By handling and enjoying a wide variety of wire photos, you will gain an eye. While there are always examples that can't be dated, most early examples are identified with relative ease.

The following are common qualities of vintage Pre-1930 wire photos. There is no formula for judging age. Not all vintage wire photos will have all these qualities, and there are always exceptions. There may be a vintage wire photo without toning or on unusual paper stock.

COMMON QUALITIES

* Paper stock is thinner and more brittle than modern. Often with light cracks in the image and toning on the back. Rarely is the back bright white like modern typing paper

* Typed (as opposed non typed) caption on paperbag brown paper. The caption tag, taped or glued to the back or rarely on front of the photo, gives the description and date of the image. Many times the caption was removed or fell off, with brown remnants remaining.

* Clear, detailed image, free of signs of reproduction (marks from negative, etc). However, some later generation wire photos were made from the original negative, and can have perfect images.

* Many images have a distinct and natural sepia tone, as opposed to a pure black and white. Turn of the century black and white ones often have 'silvering.' Silvering is when it appears as if silver has come to the surface image. It is most apparent in the dark areas (shadows, etc), and will change brightness as you change the angle of the photo to a light source. Silvering like is particularly significant, because it usually only appeared on the earliest examples.

* Stamping. The news service's stamp is usually stamped on the back. While some news services, like Associated Press, have existed for a long time, 'ACME,' 'International Newsreel' and others were early and short lived.

* Production other significant marks on front and/or back. This can include crop marks and production writing on the back. On the front there can be crop/margin marks and outline marks on the image. The outline marking, usually in pencil or silver pen, was used to highlight important parts of the image (a person's outline, etc) to make it easier during the printing process. These kinds of production notes strongly suggests the wire photo is original, both in early and modern wire photos. Ironically, these outlining marks can affect the aesthetics of the image. I have seen a few examples where the photographer signed the back of the photo, sometimes with a note to the editor ('This is a great picture, you should use this one.'). This type handwriting will probably also enhance the photo's desirability.

IMAGE: This close-up of a 1960s Wire Photo shows an example of outlining silver ink.

http://www.cycleback.com/hull.jpg

* Black light. Black will identify some paper made after 1950. This test is of limited use with wire photos, because many even 1970s wire photos do not fluoresce this way. It will quickly weed out the obvious modern ones.

This list is not intended to be complete, and readers are welcome to email their thoughts. I know that there are at least few experienced wire photo collectors who read this newsletter.

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2) ELECTROSTATIC COUNTERFEITS

Vintage ephemera-- trading cards, cabinet cards, tobacco and food labels, playbills, etc-- has been and will be reprinted and counterfeited (reprinting gone bad) with computer printers. Even home printers can make deceptive reprints, especially if the potential buyer is not familiar with the material. While there are a variety of types of computer printers, this episode shows how to identify prints made from laser printers and photocopiers. Laser printers and photocopiers use the same technology, called electrostatic or electrographic printing, and have similar appearances.

For identification, you will need a microscope. While 100X power is recommended, 30X power may prove useful. Many pocket sized models of 30X or higher power can be obtained for under $20. Check eBay or your local hobby/science store.

Under the microscope, these prints are easily identified. The graphics are made up of many tiny dust-like grains of pigment that have been fused to a electostically charge area. However, not all the grains make it to the intended area, so the print is identified by the many stragglers outside the lines. It looks like it needs a good dusting.

IMAGE: Black and white laser print at 100X Power.

http://www.cycleback.com/laser1.jpg

IMAGE: Laser print counterfeit of a T206 baseball card. The typical stray grains are most obvious in the darkest ink.

http://www.cycleback.com/laser2.jpg

This dusty appearance is unlike any antique printing. With the aid of a trusty microscope a bit of practice, you should never be fooled be one of these fakes or reprints.

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That's it, thanks for reading.

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