Civil War letters—written by soldiers, officers, government clerks, chaplains, nurses, sailors, and families—are among the most emotionally powerful and historically significant documents in the American manuscript field. Because demand has surged while forged, altered, and postwar-copied letters continue to circulate online, proper authentication requires far more than a simple handwriting comparison.
DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 504 provides the complete non-destructive workflow for authenticating Civil War letters safely and professionally. This guide explains how to evaluate 19th-century rag and laid paper, distinguish iron gall ink from modern substitutes, identify period handwriting traits, interpret postal history clues, verify regimental and military context, detect artificially aged documents, and distinguish wartime originals from postwar copies or modern forgeries.
Inside this guide, you’ll learn how experts:
Identify rag, laid, wove, and embossed Civil War stationery
Distinguish genuine iron gall ink behavior from modern inks
Analyze handwriting flow, pressure, rhythm, and period penmanship
Identify secretarial writing, rewrites, and forged signatures
Evaluate postal markings, covers, cancels, and regimental postal clues
Verify historical accuracy of dates, events, movements, and terminology
Recognize artificially aged paper and ink inconsistencies
Assess patriotic letter sheets and detect modern reproductions
Evaluate condition, original folds, staining, foxing, and repairs
Apply a structured, non-destructive authenticity workflow used by professionals
Whether you’re examining soldier letters, officer correspondence, patriotic stationery, naval dispatches, prisoner-of-war writings, or homefront letters, this guide provides collectors, historians, and appraisers with the complete methodology needed to authenticate Civil War manuscripts with confidence.
Digital Download — PDF • 10 Pages • Instant Access
Civil War letters—written by soldiers, officers, government clerks, chaplains, nurses, sailors, and families—are among the most emotionally powerful and historically significant documents in the American manuscript field. Because demand has surged while forged, altered, and postwar-copied letters continue to circulate online, proper authentication requires far more than a simple handwriting comparison.
DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 504 provides the complete non-destructive workflow for authenticating Civil War letters safely and professionally. This guide explains how to evaluate 19th-century rag and laid paper, distinguish iron gall ink from modern substitutes, identify period handwriting traits, interpret postal history clues, verify regimental and military context, detect artificially aged documents, and distinguish wartime originals from postwar copies or modern forgeries.
Inside this guide, you’ll learn how experts:
Identify rag, laid, wove, and embossed Civil War stationery
Distinguish genuine iron gall ink behavior from modern inks
Analyze handwriting flow, pressure, rhythm, and period penmanship
Identify secretarial writing, rewrites, and forged signatures
Evaluate postal markings, covers, cancels, and regimental postal clues
Verify historical accuracy of dates, events, movements, and terminology
Recognize artificially aged paper and ink inconsistencies
Assess patriotic letter sheets and detect modern reproductions
Evaluate condition, original folds, staining, foxing, and repairs
Apply a structured, non-destructive authenticity workflow used by professionals
Whether you’re examining soldier letters, officer correspondence, patriotic stationery, naval dispatches, prisoner-of-war writings, or homefront letters, this guide provides collectors, historians, and appraisers with the complete methodology needed to authenticate Civil War manuscripts with confidence.
Digital Download — PDF • 10 Pages • Instant Access
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