I have been planning the restoration of a Metropolitan Eclipse (E. N. Welch) clock. Both of the labels on the back of the clock are missing. It has been suggested that someone may have thought that as a E.N. Welch it may have been of greater value. In planning a restoration to original, I would like to reproduce these labels and put them in there proper place.
I have seen images showing these labels on the web. Not completely legible; however, they have given me some idea what I am looking for. I have looked through multiple catalogs that included reproduced labels but saw nothing.
Seems I will need to reproduce these labels myself. Thinking about how this might be accomplished. Anyone have any ideas?
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A reproduction label increasing value??
Don't think so.
Do you then artificially age a reproduction label?
If I saw a reproduction/artificially aged anything on an antique, it would make me question the overall integrity of the object, i.e., what else has been replaced or restored) and I would probably pass on it or offer much less.
Furthermore, the general level of knowledge about antiques isn't encouraging. I have been to auctions and shows where repop labels in clocks, printed by a high quality laser printer or photocopier, were missed for what they were, thus inflating the price of the object.
An example of what can happen and the state of knowledge. Not a clock but makes the point just the same. I just recently saw for sale a small slide top box with a label for a Shaker herbal remedy that everyone was cooing and clucking over, including folks that deal in some high end stuff. Just a loose label like that has a lot of value.
I looked at it and laughed.
A period label would have been printed by a press, thus slightly indenting the paper under the lettering. On this label, the lettering was built up on the surface of the paper...by a LASER printer! If one studied the label carefully, the stains and even a tiny loss in the corner were printed. The box was real. The paper old. There are lots of sources of period paper (derelict old books, for example).
So a repop label can confuse and deceive even if not the original intent. To me, the box was now worthless, not worth more.
This topic has been discussed previously.
Reproduction labels are bad and to be discouraged.
Find a book that shows the label, photocopy the page and keep it with the clock and pass it on to the new owner.
RM