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A blacklight can reveal fakes, flaws and repairs -- all major concerns for collectors and antiques dealers. A handheld black light is just the right size to use at home for testing objects before atempting to sell them online, or carrying with you when you're out shopping the flea market fields. Having a black light handy to assist in dating and authenticating antiques and collectibles can keep you from making a number of costly mistakes. Take the object into a dark room with the black light. To test antiques, it is best to take the object to a room where there is no outside light interfering with the authenticity test.
Paper Products: Modern paper products will shine when put under a black light. Antique postcards and photographs will not reflect any light.
Repairs or hairline cracks may show and become more apparent under backlight.
Art Glass: Lalique before 1945 fluoresces yellow; after 1945, it does not. Genuine old Burmese fluoresces bright yellow green, new reproductions do not.
Porcelain: Hard paste porcelain will fluoresce a deep blue or purple color. Soft paste will fluoresce white.
Artwork: The black light is often used to tell if a piece of art is a fake or not. Newer paint will shine under a black light while older paints will not cast off a glow. Inspection of works of art under UV blacklight can reveal imperfections and evidences of restoration and repairs to art, pottery, glass and detecting old from reproduction -- an important aspect of authentication for valuation and sale.
Find out if an object is made from cast iron. Many toys from the early twentieth century were made from cast iron. To authenticate these toys, a black light can be used to check for modern paint on the object.
To purchase Blacklights, please visit Renninger’s Antiques Market, Adamstown, Pa-Booth B12 or contact Len Possoff at 215-275-0870 or poss71@verizon.net