Authentic characteristics in manuscripts: An analysis of relevant characteristics before and after aqueous treatment
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Gudrun Bromm
Abstract
The Mannheim Laboratory for Writing and Documents was asked to analyze a selection of handwritten documents with regards to their authenticity characteristics after they underwent calcium phytate/calicum hydrogen carbonate and local stabilization. The question of whether the authentic characteristics of handwriting are possibly altered by different conservation measures was taken up. Especially the dynamic aspects of writing were analyzed according to the methods established for paleography and forensic handwriting analysis since these are of central significance for the identification of handwriting.
Zusammenfassung
Das Mannheimer Schrift- und Urkundenlabor wurde mit der Untersuchung ausgewählter Handschriften beauftragt, die einer Calciumphytat-Calciumhydrogenkarbonat-Behandlung und einer partiellen Stabilisierung unterzogen wurden. Es sollte vor allem zur Frage Stellung genommen werden, ob die charakteristischen Authentizitätsmerkmale der handschriftlichen Schreibleistungen möglicherweise Beeinträchtigungen aufgrund unterschiedlicher Restaurierungsmaßnahmen ausgesetzt sind. Besonders die dynamischen Aspekte des Schreibens wurden untersucht anhand der in der Paleographie und forensischen Schriftvergleichung etablierten Methoden, da diese für die Identifizierung von Handschriften unabdingbar sind.
Resumé
Le Laboratoire pour les écrits et documents de Mannheim a été chargé d'analyser une sélection de documents manuscrits en considérant leurs caractéristiques d'authenticité après qu'ils aient été soumis au traitement au phytate de calcium et d'hydrocarbonate de calcium ainsi qu'à une stabilisation partielle. Il devait en particulier donner son avis pour savoir si les caractéristiques distinctives relatives à l'authenticité des documents écrits à la main pouvaient éventuellement être altérées en raison des différentes mesures de conservation. Les aspects dynamiques de l'écriture ont été en particulier analysés selon les méthodes comparatives établies par la paléographie et l'analyse médico-légale de l'écriture manuscrite car celles-ci sont d'un intérêt primordial pour l'identification des documents manuscrits.
© 2008 K. G. Saur Verlag
Articles in the same Issue
- Editorial
- Treatment of damaged 18th- and 19th-century manuscripts: introduction to an interdisciplinary research project funded by the DFG
- Phytate treatment of metallo-gallate inks: Investigation of its effectiveness on model and historic paper samples
- Influence of aqueous calcium phytate/calcium hydrogen carbonate treatment on the chemical composition of iron gall inks
- Authentic characteristics in manuscripts: An analysis of relevant characteristics before and after aqueous treatment
- What is an original? The interests of the historian working with manuscripts, for example those of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
- Work standard for the treatment of 18th- and 19th-century iron gall ink documents with calcium phytate and calcium hydrogen carbonate
Articles in the same Issue
- Editorial
- Treatment of damaged 18th- and 19th-century manuscripts: introduction to an interdisciplinary research project funded by the DFG
- Phytate treatment of metallo-gallate inks: Investigation of its effectiveness on model and historic paper samples
- Influence of aqueous calcium phytate/calcium hydrogen carbonate treatment on the chemical composition of iron gall inks
- Authentic characteristics in manuscripts: An analysis of relevant characteristics before and after aqueous treatment
- What is an original? The interests of the historian working with manuscripts, for example those of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
- Work standard for the treatment of 18th- and 19th-century iron gall ink documents with calcium phytate and calcium hydrogen carbonate
