Re: Archival inks for signing photographs

[Mike Gardner <mikeg@neca.com>]

Dan Cardish wrote:
> 
> Slightly off topic, but can anyone comment about the availablilty of
> archival quality inks to use
> for signing the backs of prints?  I would normally sign in pencel (2B), but
> I was requested by a potential buyer to use ink instead.

Dan,
The signing of any collectible item is of concern.  One consideration
would be if you are signing an RC or fiber base print, in terms of how
readily the paper bleeds or wicks the ink.  Most of my prints that I
sell are mounted.  I have in some cases cut the mat to show most of the
white border around the print and then signed in the lower right corner
of the print with a fine point permanent ink felt tip (not a "sharpie")
from the art supply store.  If the print border is trimmed and mat goes
to edge of pictorial area, I sign the mount board with pencil in the
event the mat is changed and then I sign the mat in pencil under the
image area.  If you have to sign the back of an unmounted print I would
use an ordinary black ball point- no messy roller ball type pens, and
keep it out of image area.  I have seen some blue ball point inks bleed
when used on the back of an RC paper.  Fountain pen inks mentioned in
another post might be safe as they probably don't have the organic
solvent components of ball point ink.
Ink concerns were on my mind when I recently opened my copy of 
Salgado's "Uncertain Grace" book which he had signed for me at an 
exhibition of his work with a "sharpie" type marker pen which has now
bled a bright yellow halo of separated yellow dye all around his
writing.  I will look at Ansel Adams' book "The Print" as he talks about
signing prints. Didn't mean to write a whole book!
Mike Gardner