Need writing enhanced on old post card

[nrotonda]

I have an old post card with presumably a picture of some of my relatives on the front and on the back I can see what appears to be a name and address written in pencil.

I have a guess as to what I think it says but would like to figure out a way to enhance the writing so I don't have to guess.

I have scanned the back of the post card at 600 dpi and was able to bring out the writing a little with picasa but not nearly enough.

The image is attached. Any ideas/help appreciated!

Nancy

[TommyO]

Take a look at this one and see if you can read their writing. I think I can, but I'm not sure.

Best of luck !

[Frank Lopes]

Here it is

[mistermonday]

The writing appears to say something like Only you old people need sign card.
Unless you are referring to other writing that your scanner did not register, that's all I see.
Regards, Murray

[nrotonda]

Thank you so much for replying! I should have been more clear on what I couldn't read. Although, I am interested in knowing what you think this part says anyway. My guess is "Only two lg people.." and I have no idea what the 2nd line says. Short hand of some sort.

I will attach another image of just the part that I want to enhance and see if you can help. There is a name, a city and state and also a code of some sort like G79-7. (NOTE: ignore the blue writing)

[TommyO]

Sorry, not much there. I have seen many old photo's that pick up slight residue from other images, papers, envelopes, etc. they lay on. Normally, these faint marks are that, not writing. All writing in those days were pen or pencil which hold up very well over time.

Then again, our eyes & brain are the best guide.

[Daviskw]

It must be explaining something on the picture side.. is it of fair quality..if so maybe you could post it.

Butch

[nrotonda]

The Name and address is there and visible with the eye when you turn it sideways and reflect light just the right way to see the pencil markings. I just can't make out some of the letters and thought there might be a way to digitally enhance it.

If anyone is still interested in seeing the front of the postcard, I can post it this evening but it won't help in reading the name and address. Three of the people in the picture have Xs under them which I think is related to the "Only two lg people... " written on the back.

[0lBaldy]

Originally Posted by nrotonda

The Name and address is there and visible with the eye when you turn it sideways and reflect light just the right way to see the pencil markings. I just can't make out some of the letters and thought there might be a way to digitally enhance it.

In a dark room, apply oblique, or glancing light, to the furrows of indented writing. Photographing with a combination of multiple exposures while moving the light source will fill in the available indentations with shadow and should effectively reproduce the indented writing.

OR.. lay a thin piece of paper over the writing, using a #2 lead pencil and using the side of the lead rub it back and forth over the surface of the paper and see the invisible/indented writing appear

[TommyO]

Thanks Nancy,
Yes, unfortunately digital restoration is not quite as advanced as seen on TV and such. There is no magic algorithm to bring it out any more. There are many creative ideas that come from many of the users, sometimes revealing a bit more information. It could also depend on the scan. But, I think your scan was pretty good and certainly should have shown some information if it was there. Sometimes a higher resolution (1200 -4800) can help as it brings out subtle differences in adjacent pixels that we can enhance.

More often though, a spectral or chemical technique works better. The carbon in the pencil marks do not react with ultraviolet or infrared light. So, when you shine ultraviolet light on the paper, the paper will fluoresce slightly, making the pencil marks look darker. The same is true with infrared. The paper will look light and the pencil dark. Ultraviolet lights, not the black lights, are very common and can be purchased on-line or around town. Plus, you just use your eyes, no special detector needed. You can also photograph the resulting luminescence. Just be aware that the older papers did not contain (or add) fluorescent additives as we do today. Hence, they don't fluoresce as much. It seems to be random, some do some don't.

Hope that may help some. Best of luck.

[lurch]

Nancy, are you sure it's a postcard and not a photographic proof? The writing (including the blue stuff) on the back to me resembles photographer's notations. The address you cite might be a studio stamp.

[mistermonday]

If you can see the writing with your eye, a good scanner with a high dynamic range)should be able to pick it up. Try rotating the photo 90 degrees on your scanner. Turn off all auto settings, (Descreen, sharpen, contrast, color, etc). take a higher resolution scan of the area with the writing (min 1200 ppi). Make no adjustments or post processing afterward. You want to preserve as much detail as possible so if possible load a high res image on a site somewhere and post a link to it in this thread.
Regards, Murray

[0lBaldy]

This is all I could see using color deconvolution

[nrotonda]

Thanks everyone. In the image posted by OlBaldy, you begin to see the name and address appear in the upper left hand corner. It starts out with "Mrs. Silas" from what I can gather.

I will rescan at a higher resolution tonight and also try the ultraviolet technique!
Great idea!!

Nancy

[Icy8008]

As you can see at attached there is the possibility of a writing, but what you can see as well is the big squares indicating artifacts, so you should do both SCAN higher, as well as avoid ANY compression, but do NOT exceed the physical limits of your scanner in terms of PPI, otherwise these artifacts return.

Icy8008