Digital Restoration of Volatilized⋅Faded Documents

Abstract

Digital restoration of documents refers to the way for restoring images of records whose legibility is poor due to volatilization⋅fading. The study analyzed the application of VSC(Video Spectral Comparator) to 1,206 sheets of special paper by the National Archives of Korea and digital restoration data. The findings show that most of thermal paper especially the legibility was improved under the ultraviolet condition. Records of sensitive paper, or diazo copying paper, became clear under the conditions of infrared fluorescence light. However, there was no effect for some missing letters so it is regarded that the effects are limited when the initial state of a record is poor. there was insignificant effect for wet copying paper despite application of various light sources. On the other hand, When compared with thermal paper, legibility of documents produced by the Japanese Government-General of Korea in the early 1900s mixed with bast fibers such as tissue paper was improved under various conditions such as visible and infrared rays though it was most visible under the ultraviolet condition. As mentioned above, few number of data makes it difficult to decide a light source adequate for material. However, it was possible to identify the tendency of light sources reacting to material.