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The Secret Service Uses This Massive Ink Library To Catch Forged Documents

Chouffleur

By Chouffleur
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Chouffleur Extremely Rare

Chouffleur

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More ink than @amberleadavis. ;-)



Someone trying to sell a baseball allegedly signed by Babe Ruth in the early 1920s, or pass off documents as older than they really are, is up against a serious foe: The United States Secret Service.


You might know that the Secret Service is on guard against counterfeit currency. You might not know, however, that it also keeps a one-of-a-kind International Ink Library with more than 11,400 specific writing ink fingerprints on hand. The ink library handles a variety of cases, from threat letters — the Secret Service protects not only the President but also other high-profile government officials — and ransom letters, baseballs, and phony documents where someone is "trying to obscure the truth in some way," says Joseph Stephens, ink library document analyst.



https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/news/a13875/secret-service-ink-forensics-library/


Edited by Chouffleur

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/profile/123018-chouffleur/?tab=field_core_pfield_37

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Maurizio Collectors Item

Maurizio

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Cool. Thanks for posting.

The prizes of life are never to be had without trouble - Horace
Kind words do not cost much, yet they accomplish much - Pascal

You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream - C.S. Lewis

 Favorite shop:https://www.fountainpenhospital.com

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Chouffleur Extremely Rare

Chouffleur

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Funny - I searched "Secret Service" before posting this but didn't see this thread (might have just looked quickly at the first page).

 

But hey, GMTA. ;-)

Edited by Chouffleur

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/profile/123018-chouffleur/?tab=field_core_pfield_37

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inkstainedruth Ancient Artifact

inkstainedruth

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Sounds as if they have more ink than Amberlea Davis and Sam Capote -- combined!

Reminds me of my junior class trip to Washington DC, back when I was in high school. One of the places I went was the FBI Building, where they have an entire room of paint chips in file drawers from car manufacturers (so they can trace a particular make and model of vehicle from trace transfer after a motor vehicle accident).

Really interesting stuff. Especially the part at the end of the article which talks about trying to figure out when the ink was applied (since I have a number of bottles of vintage inks). I wonder if they can tell whether an ink has been reconstituted or not -- betting they can.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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MKeith Vintage

MKeith

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Very interesting Chouffleur. Thanks for sharing.

"Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in possession and under our direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?" Patrick Henry

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PAKMAN Ancient Artifact

PAKMAN

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Good information! Glad I only have 90 bottles, don't have room to store more! Wonder if they have full bottles or sample size? Wonder if they have Parker Penman Sapphire!!?? The modern fountain pen industry is probably causing them a huge headache with all the new inks coming on the market!

PAKMAN

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DasKaltblut Rare

DasKaltblut

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Funny - I searched "Secret Service" before posting this but didn't see this thread (might have just looked quickly at the first page).

 

But hey, GMTA. ;-)

 

Probably not your fault. The current in forum search function is not very good.

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Corona688 Extremely Rare

Corona688

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Wonder if they have full bottles or sample size? Wonder if they have Parker Penman Sapphire!!?? The modern fountain pen industry is probably causing them a huge headache with all the new inks coming on the market!

I see lots and lots of full bottles in there. Then there are the ones that don't normally come in bottles. They're even bigger - mason jars and such.
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Maurizio Collectors Item

Maurizio

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The modern fountain pen industry is probably causing them a huge headache with all the new inks coming on the market!

 

Ditto that! :)

The prizes of life are never to be had without trouble - Horace
Kind words do not cost much, yet they accomplish much - Pascal

You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream - C.S. Lewis

 Favorite shop:https://www.fountainpenhospital.com

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sidthecat Antique

sidthecat

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“Wonder who's job it is to shake every jar annually.”

 

Perhaps they have a machine that shakes the whole cabinet at once.

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Noihvo Collectors Item

Noihvo

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“Wonder who's job it is to shake every jar annually.”

 

Perhaps they have a machine that shakes the whole cabinet at once.

 

One of these?

 

"We are one."

 

– G'Kar, The Declaration of Principles

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jhylkema Dipped Only

jhylkema

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Oh yes, lawn force meant agencies have all manner of these kinds of libraries at their disposal. That is how the Ontario Provincial Police nabbed former RCAF colonel Russell Williams (Google him). They ran his boot prints against their footwear library, confronted him with that evidence, and he folded like cheap lawn furniture in about 30 minutes.

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