Recommend A Magnifying Glass and Lights

[t@nya]

Hi!

I've bought copies of 16th and 17th Century documents from The National Archives. Most of the pages are big enough, but someone are pretty small. Could anyone recommend a type of magnifying glass that would be good to read that small writing?

Also, I'm not sure that the lightbulbs in my home are ideal to read any of the documents. Could anyone recommend a lamp or other source of light that would be good for this.

[Ken_R]

Hi. Have a look around your electronics component suppliers for one of those magnifiers that sits on a stand to enable people to view small components.

Here, I would look at RS Components or Maplin. I'll see if I can find a suitable link if I can find one.

Light bulbs - don't use low-energy as they flicker. You may not notice that they do but - they do. Also, consider scanning and then using a program to view 'in Negative'.

[Ken_R]

Something like this.

http://images.maplin.co.uk/300/a40gb.jpg

From the Maplin (uk) catalogue.

[pippycat]

Needlework/Sewing Craft type shops are ideal places to source lamps and magnifyers.
They also sell "daylight" lightbulbs, which are blue and cast a more natural type of light than the average bulb.

- I've progressed to a giant magnifier and a floor lamp with a 500w halogen bulb in it, bright as anything...perfect for squinting at old documents!

Rebecca

[t@nya]

Thanks so much, both of you. :)

[Mary Anne]

I find these magnifiers are very useful. I am sure you can get them in UK, but in any case they're available by mail-order from Canada:

www.
globalgenealogy.com/archival/090002.htm

Mary Anne

[arthurk]

I find these magnifiers are very useful. I am sure you can get them in UK, but in any case they're available by mail-order from Canada:

www.
globalgenealogy.com/archival/090002.htm

Mary Anne

There's a good selection at www.
familytreefolk.co.uk/page_10981.html
including one that looks very similar to Mary Anne's. For a compact magnifier I use the LED Wallet Magnifier listed there.

Arthur

[edwardtjones]

if you are reading documents on line there are Magnifying tools in toolbars. I used to have one, think it was in the google toolbar
Edward jones