THE MAGIC OF INFRARED
The image above was taken using a mobile phone, a Samsung S9 + It's a close-up view of the signature of the Manager of the 1941 Hay Internment Camp Banknote project, Richard Stahl. What you are looking at is real micro writing.
You will notice that in the top image all you can see is a series of tiny letters and numbers that form the signature and that's because the new technique I used has the effect of neutralising or removing the upper layer of ink that formed Mr. Stahl's actual signature. There's so much more to be said about his and other banknotes from the Hay Internment Camp but more on that in another post.
The banknotes were designed by George A Teltscher, an outstanding designer who oversaw the design from the outset and had the notes, unsigned, printed by a local newspaper publisher using, I think a process known as Zincography.
The cropped unsigned notes were delivered back to the camp where the various people assigned to the task physically signed each one in ink.
The micro writing was part of that process and that process was later to be used by the British SOE and described in one of their manuals.
GEORGE A TELTSCHER & THE INK H PROCESS
Mr.Teltscher returned to the UK on his release, in early 1942 at which time he began working tor British the Militari one story is that he went to work making maps and propaganda leaflets but the evidence says that it was he that designed the technique and process described in the clip from the SOE Codes and Ciphers manual in 1943.
Please note that SOE forwarded many of their codes and ciphers to Australia in 1943, which was prior to the meeting of Alf, Jestyn, and others at the Clifton Gardens Hotel in mid-1944.
Below the actual banknote from which the above signature came:
HISTORY OF OUR INFRARED PROJECT
In the past we've discussed the two main types of infrared photography that are used in document examination, Infrared Luminescence, and Reflected Infrared. the images shown here today use another kind of infrared photography.
In recent times, I have been researching an alternative technique, it's known as 'Transmitted InfraRed'. The method is used most commonly in the examination of artworks and interestingly, in the examination of old documents. The process involves putting an infrared source light behind the artwork or document and an IR sensitive camera in front, an IR filter can be placed in between.
This process has impressed me greatly, I only wish I had learned about it sooner. Not only has it done a great job on the Hay Banknote it works equally as well on other items.
