Watermark Detection: DIY Drama

As you probably know, there are plenty of online resources (this one included) that proffer advice for watermark detection. But at the end of the day, you're still on your own, at the mercy of a particular specimen's unique attributes. I found that digital image tint and contrast changes help somewhat, in this case courtesy of PowerPoint software. If only there was a remedy for the stamp's poor placement relative to the watermark grid.

Are each of the images with different tints?

The watermark is actually well placed, just faint in this case. It's an S, in the center of the stamp.

Various adjustments to tint and contrast. YMMV.

Isn't 271 supposed to be a double-line watermark? If that is an S in center, it looks a bit small for a DL. In addition, it begs questions about the stray remnants at the top left, top center, and (maybe) bottom to the right of center.

It's a DL, just faint. And we are talking about 1890's paper, which can be a bit shadowy anyway.

Anybody else see something like this? (DL wmk reading vertically, part of a "U" and a sliver of an "S")

@ ttreen: Agreed.

@everybody: The purpose of the thread was to illustrate the impact of color tinting digital images when discerning watermarks... again, YMMV.

Yes, here you can see it better.

Don: any chance to define the size of the stamp template in your tool? I never really know what size it is, and sometimes I have another stamp size. (I know the template is probably the usual stamp size of the defitinives of the era, but still a mm size option would be great, of course)

BFRomeos: I usually don't use colors, the normal functions of any image program for contrast, gamma and so on is useful.

@stamperix: Purdy good :)

not seeing a DL "S"

at the left of my image you can see the DL "S".
in the other images you could have seen any other possibility for other watermark positions or letters.

now I see it, forgot it is backwards