|
A watermark is merely a thinner area in the paper,which can be ssen by holding the paper before the light.A common example is an ordinary piece of "bond" paperon which may be seen, if held before a light, the manu-facturer's name or trade-mark. How it gets there is ex-plained in the chapter dealing with paper making. Beforethe stamps are printed thereon, the watermark can be easily seen by simply holding the paper in front of alight. But after the stamp has been printed it is nolonger so easy to see the watermark. In fact it is oftenimpossible to see it. Hence the watermark detector. Thisis a simple device usually consisting of a glass tray witha jet black bottom. To use it, place the stamp face downin the tray and pour a little carbon tetrachloride over thestamp. (Ordinary "Carbona" will do very well.) Theliquid makes the paper of the stamp translucent and theblack bottom of the tray will be seen through the thinnerparts, i.e. the watermark, which is thus revealed. Carbontetrachloride is recommended as it is noninflammable.Many collectors use ordinary benzine which serves thesame purpose. Neither of these liquids will have anydamaging effect upon the stamp or the gum of moststamps. Once the stamp has been subjected to eitherliquid, it should be placed on a clean piece of paper andin a few moments it will dry out completely. The liquidcan be returned to the bottle for future use. |
|||
|
