Watermark Extraction Technique

Glad to hear it. That's one of the benefits of collecting Germany -- easy-to-read watermarks!

An interesting way to look for watermarks.
I was recently sorting classic German stamps and my eyes were hurting while
looking for watermarks. Some were clearly visible while others were like 'somethings there'.
Before my budget goes thiner on buying a scanner, could you recommend any other successful techinque on this topic ?

Very informative PostmasterGS. I revisited this thread to re read the thread.
Now I have Mx 870 and Epson 330. will try on both to find out specially canon MX870.
I have not tried but looks like Canon MX870 white background can come off.
Epson already mentions removing White background for Negatives.
Have to look PhotoScape regarding color adjustments.

Thanks again.
tikithindi

This site might be of use if folks don't have the software to convert to both RGB and CMYK formats

http://www.rgb2cmyk.org/

Cheers
Ram

Thanks PostmasterGS for a very informative post :-)

Thank you PostmasterGS for this intriguing technique. I am trying it but without your success so far. Simple question; do you place the stamp face up or face down on the scanner bed?
Thanks

I usually try it both ways to see what gets the best result. It can vary from stamp to stamp.

Thanks PostmasterGS for an excellent topic that I've been trying to follow closely. I'm having trouble using your technique on a particular stamp. It a either a Scott 336 or 379 depending on whether it's a 190 single line or a 191 double line watermark. Here are the scans that I've made of...

The reflective front



Negative from the rear



Negative from the front



Can you help? Of course I could email the images also. Thanks

PaulC

I'm curious if you've tried using different colored backing for difficult colored stamps such as shown in my last post?

PaulC,

Go ahead and e-mail me copies of the images at



Also, do you have the ability to do black and white negative scans as well as color negatives? If so, shoot me one of those as well.

I'll do the Black & Whites and send them also. Here they are for everyone else;

Excellent thread Postmaster

I may try that one this winter when I have more time.

Dianne

While this is certainly interesting, and might have use in viewing cancels and overprints easily, saying it is completely non-destructive is certainly an open question. You are subjecting it to a blinding white light from the scanner. This would seem to be no more or less damaging than holding it up to the light or dipping the stamp in lighter fluid, and it takes far longer with a lot more work. Plus your examples are both of easily seen watermarks. I would like to see this done with a yellow Washington-Franklin SL watermark stamp like a Scott 416 (a common stamp with a watermark that is usually usually very difficult to see).

PaulC,

I'm not able to see a watermark. Perhaps it's just too faint.

It's certainly no more destructive than lighter fluid, and I'd hardly call two seconds of scanner light destructive. Scanning is the primary way of showing our stamps online, after all.

The benefit from my perspective is it's quick, cheap, easier than fooling around with fluid, and allows me to capture photos of the watermarks for inclusion in my digital collection. Are there watermarks you can't pull with this method? Certainly. Just as there are watermarks that are nearly impossible to see with fluid or holding a stamp up to the light. There's a reason why I said your mileage might vary in the original post.

But hey, to each his own.