THE ECHO MARCH 3RD 1885
This conclusively proves that such sized lettering is not on the edge of perception as those lacking in knowledge would have you believe. Writing of this size is very definitely doable and legible.
All by itself it's very interesting to see the result of skills and a craft probably now long forgotten. But there are other aspects that will be of interest to the followers of the Somerton Man case.
First of all, how was this micro type actually achieved? It was a photo process, in fact it was called the 'photo-zinco' process first developed in the 1850s, there is some argument as to who developed it first, an Englishman, Sir Henry James or an Australian, John Walter Osborne. In the end it was all but a tie but Sir Henry won the day by a smidgen and he had to acknowledge the work of Captain A. de C. Scott head of the photography department at Southampton who had in fact done much of the research and development.
The motivation for the invention was Ordnance Survey maps, the long used method of pantagraphs were clumsy and often produced inaccurate results.
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| Photo-Zinco Tools |
It didn't take long for this new technique to spread across the printing world and many works of literature were quickly converted and in one famous example, The Domesday Book was copied in this way. Of course it wasn't long before the world of banking and banknotes were suitably enamoured with the development. One of the major drawbacks was the fact that the process only produced outcomes in mono tone, so no colour with early maps produced by the process being hand coloured.
The bank notes struck a chord, was this or a similar process used by George Teltscher of Hay Banknote fame? It seems to have been a fairly simple process and the basics would have been available to him. The banknotes at Hay were duo-tone as in Green or Red or Blue so that should not have presented a problem.
On another point for consideration, the process relied on a camera set up for certain but it also required zinc plate and a camel hair brush or similar. A screwdriver would have been handy and even a sharpened knife to trim and perhaps add some fine details. The sorts of things found in the Somerton Man suitcase.
On another point for consideration, the process relied on a camera set up for certain but it also required zinc plate and a camel hair brush or similar. A screwdriver would have been handy and even a sharpened knife to trim and perhaps add some fine details. The sorts of things found in the Somerton Man suitcase.
Effectively, this was an early form of a photocopier, I wonder whether this method could have been used to copy and produce false imprints of well known books?
You can read more about Photo-Zincography here:
thanks for the comment Ryan, I think that Pavel is by far the best candidate we have had and I feel a very high degree of certainty about that. Whilst I agree with much of what you say, with regards to the high calf muscles, we know that Pavel was a 'toe walker' he walked on the balls of his feet which would by default contribute greatly to both high calf muscles and wedge toes. If we add to that the description given by Harry Gold plus the photograph, we have Pavel with large hands, and his teeth look to be close to the diagram provided by the pathologist. On that point, it is unclear as to whether SM had anodontia, this was I believe the view of Professor Abbott but not entirely born out by the description, I stand to be corrected on that point.I think Pete Bowes may have something to add on the Russian language issue.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for your comment :)
Ryan, the thinking is Jessica picked up a little Russian while teaching languages, which could mean Pavel was either a fellow teacher or a student.
ReplyDeleteSM looks like a certain KGB Major.I think Asio were on to him. Ie the man in the overcoat standing on the boardwalk staring at SM very early in the morning. just having a look to see if he might be dead.It was said by Jessica Thomson that a higher authority than police new about him .I think he was forced to suicide!
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