Exploring New Uses for Regula Devices

These magnifiers come in handy for philatelists (stamp collectors), numismatists (banknote and coin collectors), and other enthusiasts who deal with valuable objects that contain security features, including tiny objects that must be observed in detail under magnification (to observe their individual features, inspect for damage, etc.).

Let’s take a striking example—the 2016 Agatha Christie stamps. This set, issued by the UK’s Royal Mail, commemorates the 100th anniversary of Agatha Christie’s first novel, and the 40th anniversary of her death.

As the stamps are dedicated to detective stories, there are hidden clues. For example, each stamp has a microtext, varying from 0.12 mm to 0.24 mm. But there is an inscription of approximately 0.06 mm in height (different sources give different values) that appears impossible to read. Can you guess which is the tiniest text in the following magnified samples?

Also, the stamp dedicated to the novel A Murder is Announced has hidden UV patterns.

Collectible, commemorative, and rare stamps quite frequently feature microtexts, holograms, ultraviolet inks, and even thermochromic inks. Having the Regula 100X magnifier in your toolkit can become a real game changer in your passion. It can be equipped with a measuring scale and a combination of various light sources: incident white light, oblique white light, or ultraviolet (365 nm). There are several available degrees of magnification—10x, 14x, 20x, and 23x—which will help to reveal all the hidden clues and security features. With this magnifier, you will see your collection in a whole new light (pun intended), be it banknotes, stamps, or any other tiny objects.

Now, let’s take it to the next level…

Manual control devices are quite a wide range of products that have more options for precise examination as they have more adjustable settings and more light sources. More importantly, these devices show results on a built-in screen (or connected PC), and they can capture images for further storage.

These devices can be easily implemented in the workflow of businesses that deal with objects like trading cards. Ease of use, many light sources, and powerful magnification capabilities make evaluating trading cards (any other collectibles) easy and accurate. You can check the overall condition, detect wear and tear, examine security features (if any), verify authenticity, and detect whether any alterations were made.

However, if your tasks include not only examining objects but capturing images of them to create an electronic catalog, you will definitely appreciate our high-resolution photospectral scanners. Using these devices, you can scan trading cards, fragments of archival documents, and many other objects.

The range includes models with 80 MP, 187 MP, and 400 MP cameras. Each model is equipped with 16 types of light sources to help you not only take high-quality images, but also use different wavelengths and types to capture every detail.

And now, we move on to the ultimate devices for detailed examination…

Video spectral comparators are used by skilled professionals. They are tailored to meet experts’ specific needs with flexible and adjustable settings. These devices can be used not only to examine travel documents and banknotes, but also to examine handwritten documents, signed agreements, and even works of art.

For example, there was a case where a video spectral comparator helped to identify whether a painting was created by a famous artist.

A previously unknown painting by Frida Kahlo, Sola con mi gran soledad, was dated 1938. The artist's signature was on the canvas, but the task was to find out whether it really belonged to Frida Kahlo.

The expert who conducted graphological and graphoscopic analysis of the signature on the painting used the Video Spectral Comparator Regula 4307. Using the device, the expert carefully measured the slope of the characters, the character spacing and size, as well as the character construction, the stroke direction, the location and interlocation of intersections and turning points, and other handwriting features. The obtained parameters were compared with the parameters of other signatures of indisputably authentic paintings. As a result, the expert concluded that the signature was likely to have been made by Frida Kahlo.

Another case involves the examination of an iсon which dates back to approximately the second half of the 16th century. The task was to examine the iсon for restoration. A Regula expert, together with an art historian who specializes in iconography, identified areas with extraneous dyes and varnish that may have indicated traces of restoration made around the 19th century.

Another object of examination using the Regula 4308 comparator was a portrait of an unknown person in a private collection. The task was to evaluate the painting, plus determine the age and the artist. The art historian who conducted the examination tried to find traces of a signature, and to take a close look at the area containing the medallion on the neck of the unknown, which were probably originally in the painting, but were later washed away with onion halves—the result of improper care, which, according to the owners of the painting, promised purification and preservation of the portrait surface.

Today, there are four models of video spectral comparators that differ in dimensions and overall capabilities, including the number of light sources, the availability of specialized modules, the level of magnification, the number of cameras (and their resolution), and other features that can be crucial for your specific case and workflow.

We have over 30 years of experience in hardware and software engineering, and we’re happy to provide you with the exact solutions you require.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or to share your experience using Regula solutions!