Best method for copying 18th century document

Ask The Detectives | By Gwen Wright | August 4, 2008

Dru Ransdell emailed with a question for Gwendolyn Wright
I have a document written in iron manuscript ink by my ancestor in 1752. It is a pledge of a club of about 50 teenage(!)young men to walk a Christian life. Exquisite, powerful prose and the writing is of course a work of art. A date in the margin says that the club was started in 1715.
I have had this previously folded treasure flattened at an art conservation place. I know that this original document will fade away if exposed to light, but I am unsure how to safely make copies to hang and enjoy. The art folks said a home scanner would be fine, but a friend of mine advised carefully considering the method first so that I only have to expose it to one blast of light. With the right digital image, I could then make copies identical to the original as well as some that are easier to read for sharing.
So, can you advise me as to what is that best method for copying this document? Do I need to have this done professionally?
Also, I wonder if there would be any interest in researching who these other young men were in history? All their names are beautifully signed on the back.
Thank you! I look forward to your input.

Dear Dru Ransdell,

Gwendolyn Wright

How do I authenticate a document?

Ask The Detectives | By Elyse Luray | July 24, 2008

Patti's question:
I have a homestead certificate from Territory of Oklahoma
and was interested if u could tell me how to tell if it is an original?
it has two raised seals on it and Theodore Roosevelt's signature on it,
whom was the president of the U.S. at that time, 1906.

How can i tell if it is a copy or an original?

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Finding an Appraiser

Ask The Detectives | By History Detectives Team | July 23, 2008

I am hoping that you could offer a suggestion to a situation that has plagued my 85 year old mother for many years. I don't know the entire story or all of the details, and she remembers them now only sporadically.

She was given a beautiful Kimono and Obi either during or just after WWII. The story she was told is that it came from a temple or a palace that was raided by US solders, and was said to be very valuable. (It is totally hand stitched and looks to be made of gold threads and silk.) She has kept it preserved in acid free paper all these years.

Can you recommend anyone that can look at this beautiful item and perhaps tell her what she has? (We are located in Scottsdale, AZ.) She has thought that she'd possibly would like to have it returned to the country of origin, if it was something they would like to have.

Kind regards,
Sandra Crawford

Dear Sandra,
Thank you for writing. We receive many requests for appraisals of various objects. The History Detectives does not provide appraisal services or recommend specific appraisers. For a list of qualified appraisers visit the Antiques Roadshow web page.

Before consulting an appraiser document the provenance of the object and have a photograph available. Local art museums and historical societies can often recommend qualified appraisers. We wish you the best on your search.

Finding Careers in Historical Research

Ask The Detectives | By History Detectives Team | July 7, 2008

Gwen Wright's response to Nicole on how to become a historian was insightful. Here is a different twist on the question. As a degreed Art Historian, a B.A. received in 2006, with an aptitude for performing provenance research, what advice can be given for those pursuing careers in art historical, provenance, or historical research? What type of opportunities are available outside academic institutions for those whose aptitudes do not run into the field of classroom teaching? Sharing the knowledge learned is always fun, but I am more comfortable in a library or archive than standing in front of a room full of people.
Asked by David Passman

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How to Become a Historian

Ask The Detectives | By Gwen Wright | September 14, 2007

Dear Gwen, I am very interested in the work that you all do. How does one become an archivist, appraiser or historian? Do you know of things that I can do now to prepare for such careers?
Asked by Nicole, 16

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To Glove or not to Glove?

Ask The Detectives | By Gwen Wright | July 23, 2007

As so called "laymen" or non-experts, we are always told not to touch or handle old items with our bare hands because the oils on our hands will damage the items, yet I see you people doing it all the time. Isn't that just as bad as us handling these items?
Asked by James Luke from South Dakota

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African American Genealogy

Ask The Detectives | By Tukufu Zuberi | July 2, 2007

Dear Tukufu,
My mother is from Germany and my father from the US. My father is African American. His oldest brother attempted to trace the family and came to a dead end after three generations. How does an African American family get over that gap when the surname is no longer relevant?
Asked by Linda

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Suffrage Painting Question

Ask The Detectives | By Gwen Wright | July 2, 2007

Dear Gwen,
I have two questions prompted by your fascinating segment on the women's suffrage painting. 1) I didn't understand how you generated the short list of individuals named Dale from which you identified the actual artist. Can you elaborate? 2) Is the image analysis performed on the painting generally the same as what would be done if someone pays to have a painting appraised, or was it a more sophisticated service that would perhaps more likely be used by academics or museums?
Asked by Eric

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