1
Intake and historyCould it have happened at all?
The item is registered and photographed. Software and bibliographic specialists then establish exactly what it is and when it could have been signed.
The authentic itemA first printing from 1996, inscribed and dated 1998. Possible.
- Edition, printing, publisher and when it was made
- The earliest date this copy could have existed
- The author’s signing window
- Whether dates, inscriptions and references fit history
- How the author’s signature changed over time
Used here Book identification, text recognition, historical records and an automated chronology check.
How we read chronology →
2
The labIs the object what it claims to be?
A standard, non-destructive physical examination, with standardised photographs kept alongside the record.
The authentic itemA fluent pen line sunk into the fibres, one ink, and a leaf that belongs to the book.
- Line quality, hesitation, retouching, ink pooling
- Different inks, alterations, unusual fluorescence
- Pressure and indentations
- Printing, stamps, autopens
- Whether the signed page belongs to the book
Used here Imaging station, digital stereomicroscope, ultraviolet and infrared imaging, raking light.
Inside the lab →
3
Machine learningDoes it behave like her writing?
The signature is isolated and compared with known-genuine signatures by the same writer, filed by date, pen and situation, contemporaneous ones first.
The authentic itemHer order and direction, within her range for the years around 1998.
- The order and direction of every stroke
- Letter construction, proportions, spacing, slant
- Within the writer’s natural variation?
- The right style for the period?
- Too close to one known signature?
- Anything unusual, flagged
Used here Our exemplar database and machine-learning comparison.
The comparison →The exemplar database →
4
The expertsWhat does it all mean?
A trained examiner weighs the physical evidence, the model’s findings and the period exemplars, and forms the opinion. The model supports the examiner; it never decides. At Black Label a second expert examines the item independently, and both must agree.
The authentic itemBoth experts, independently: authentic.
- Are the similarities meaningful or superficial?
- Can the differences be natural variation?
- Was the line written freely or imitated?
- Were inscription and signature one act?
- Does anything contradict authenticity?
Used here Trained examiners, supported by bibliographic specialists and lab technicians.
Certification levels →
5
The recordWhat do you get?
One of three results: authentic, inconclusive, or not authentic. The certificate record shows the result, the photographs, the authentication statement and its findings, and stays online to be checked by anyone with the number.
The authentic itemAuthentic, level 5: Black Label.
- Authentic
- Inconclusive: not a fail, the evidence isn’t enough either way
- Not authentic
Used here Evidence brought together in one record, and a permanent image archive.