This is the only answer I could find to help ya out:
Chemical methods to darken inks are ultimately damaging to documents and are currently not recommended. Conservation treatment can lighten some papers thereby increasing the contrast between ink and paper and improving the ability to read documents. However, this is not necessarily suitable or possible with all types of papers and inks. There are some non-destructive technical methods that can help fading ink appear darker. Ultraviolet light can cause the brightener to fluoresce in some papers making inks appear more visible. (A black-light is usually a long-wave ultraviolet light source.) Sometimes inks are made visible using an infrared viewer. However, viewers can be expensive and hard to find. Black and white photographic prints from infrared film can sometimes show increased contrast between ink and paper. Likewise, some types of faded ink will appear darker to the eye in a standard black and white photographic print. Also, sometimes a copier set on a darker setting will produce a copy that's easier to read than the original.
:)
How can faded writing,done in ink,be made legible ?
madjack
2009/10/07 17:08:12
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The writing is inside an old book of psalms,carried by a soldier in the Civil War.A few words are clear,but most are faded,though evident as distinct writing.If the writing can be read,it could help solve a some interesting questions.If I can do that,I'll blog the entire story behind this small book.
Top Opinion
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Michelle 2010/02/22 22:57:31
If you have a large musem near you-- consult with them. However, sometiumes shuttling back and forth between reproductive methods may help, i.e., photograph it with a close up lens, print that and then photocopy it with varying constrast and varying magnificationss. Photograph it with a SLR, on high-contrast film and print it on high-consrast pape. Magnify it to about 5-8x and then photograph it .... to see it may enable you to make out or guess at what was intended more easily. Sleep on it and look at it in the morning.
Because most inks in that period were iron-based or made froimn plant galls--as a last resort I'd definiftely consider a chemical bath to enhance the iron sulfides and oxides that constitute the ink residues. Check with a knowledgeable high school or university introductory college chemistry teacher.There's got to be a colored solution that binds to iron sulfide and rust that would enhanceit. BUT...it's probably not removable once you do it.
Look up a miitary Graves Registration Unit ..they deal with this kind of problem all the time. Faded documents in the pockets of the dead.
Chemical methods to darken inks are ultimately damaging to documents and are currently not recommended. Conservation treatment can lighten some papers thereby increasing the contrast between ink and paper and improving the ability to read documents. However, this is not necessarily suitable or possible with all types of papers and inks. There are some non-destructive technical methods that can help fading ink appear darker. Ultraviolet light can cause the brightener to fluoresce in some papers making inks appear more visible. (A black-light is usually a long-wave ultraviolet light source.) Sometimes inks are made visible using an infrared viewer. However, viewers can be expensive and hard to find. Black and white photographic prints from infrared film can sometimes show increased contrast between ink and paper. Likewise, some types of faded ink will appear darker to the eye in a standard black and white photographic print. Also, sometimes a copier set on a darker setting will produce a copy that's easier to read than the original.
:)
I hope the research helps you!
Michelle :)
Have you tried using a strong magnifying glass to see if you could read the writing? If so, you could then take it to an expert in script writing and calligraphy. You can find calligraphers online in your area or, perhaps, the telephone yellow pages.