A&F Review of my products

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Larry Peterson

Larry Peterson

SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Resource Provider
Joined
Apr 8, 2003
Posts
11,361
Location
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Art and Frame Review magazine has a short article in their March 2004 issues about my changeable framing system for ephemera called "Frame This! Again and Again and Again...". The were originally going to be reviewing me and my competion (SwingFrame) but left SwingFrame out of the article. I was hoping for a side-by-side review because I believe that I compete well with SwingFrame. In any case, I was very pleased with the review. It is online at http://www.go-star.com/framer/framethis0304.htm

Laissez les bons temps rouler!
 
Nice one Larry

I hope you are as "Happy as Larry"
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Great job Larry. And when they finish reading about your product, they should go back to the home page and click on "Grow Your Business" and read part 2 of "That Does Not Compute" about why everyone should have a web site!

Betty
 
Oh I didnt know you had a part 2!
 
Yeah, it was originally one article, but he didn't have room for the whole thing, so I had to cut it in two parts. Then I had to lengthen the second part to make it long enough!

Oh well, it just made me do some last minute research. (I've still got papers spread all over the bedroom!)

Betty
 
Sorry Larry, I didn't mean to hijack, er I mean sidetrack your thread!

Betty
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Congrats to both of you!
 
Congrats to you both. I did a frame similiar for a customer who had to change things monthly, good to see someone making money at it.
 
Cool, Larry. When I was looking for the magazine frames your website was like second on the Google list. I didn't pursue yours because I was looking for wholesale but I thought it looked like you had a great product!
 
Hello Betty,

I made my post about my article before reading the rest of the issue. Great article(s).

Thanks to the others for the compliments. My route to framing has been a little different than some. I was a part-time antiques dealer and a collector of ephemera. I started my web site 2 1/2 years ago as a an part-time effort after going to Paul Cascio's school to learn framing.

Myself and a partner just opened (January) our own Antique store (First Street Antiques) in Lehighton, PA. In addition to antiques, My partner does vintage lighting (First Street Lighting - rewiring, rebuilding, refurbishing, installation) and I now have a brick and morter presence for framing (First Street Framing). I soon have to follow Betty's advice and do a web site for these.

I just came back from Decor Expo with empty pockets after buying the rest of the equipment I need for a full retail presence. For the web framing I had a Morso chopper, 40" Logan 650, VN42, an Acrylic panel saw, an acrylic table saw, a Fletcher 3100 and a full woodworking shop (table saw, band saw, radial arm saw, drill press, sanding station, planer, joiner, grinder and all the usual hand and power tools). At Expo I purchased a Seal Vacuseal 4468, a 60" Phaedra Chronomat and a 2 saw 11' Phaedra system for metals and wide woods. I have done some framing as a vendor in a previous Antique store, but am now gearing up for a full retail experience.

It may be due to the antique environment, but most of my jobs so far are for canvas reproductions, shadowboxes for collectibles and conservation framing for ephemera and old photos. I have just set up relationships for canvas reproductions and ornate premades (although with the new saw system, I will probably join my own if they are under 6").

I expect this to be my main brick and morter focus along with digital restorations and canvas transfers along with paroramic reproductions from the late 1800s of the Mauch Chunk (3 miles from me) area for both the locals and tourists.

Some of the things I am seeing already are exciting. I just finished a frame for a very old photo of a little boy where the boy is raised up from the rest of the photo. I don't know the correct term for this kind of photo (can anyone tell me? - embossed?) but the raised portion was too thick for a normal double mat so I floated the mat 3/16" with black foamcore which turned out very nice. If I had my new mat cutter, I might have used an 8-ply but the float effect worked well.

I talked to another customer today that has a leather jacket with signed artwork on the back about doing a hanging 2 sided shadow box (probably using LJ Boxers with a hinged door on one side (probably barrel hinges) so he can take it out occasially. Another antique customer today brought it some of their grandfather's old old metal working tools and pictures of their grandfather in the 20s to talk about another shadowbox.

Another customer is bringing in some monster sized (he guesses 40"x70") old movie posters for framing.

I read a number of threads here about the difficulties of starting a new retail framing store. The antique side of our store and my web sales mean that I don't have to worry about starving while this part gets going, but it seems to be getting off to a good start anyway. It's exciting.

Didn't mean to turn this into a frankenthread (I love frankenthreads) but I've had a good week.
 
Originally posted by Larry Peterson:
full woodworking shop (table saw, band saw, radial arm saw, drill press, sanding station, planer, joiner, grinder and all the usual hand and power tools).
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Oh man (she said while wiping drool off her face) I had a opportunity about 12 years ago to buy a full woodworking shop for $1000. I'm still kicking myself over that one! I only have a small table saw, scroll saw, and belt/disc sander (plus dremel, profile sander, etc...)


The antique side of our store and my web sales mean that I don't have to worry about starving while this part gets going, but it seems to be getting off to a good start anyway. It's exciting.

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Larry, the antique business along with framing seems to work well. At least for us it does. As you probably know, we do antique restoration (caning and wicker repair) and by marketing ourselves as an "art & antique studio and gallery" we draw a very good cross section of people. Often the framing customers will remark that they need some caning done, must most often, the caning customers become very good framing customers.

I'm a firm believer that anything you can do that sets you apart from everyone else and brings people into your business is a big plus!

Have you read the restoration articles that DiAnna Tindell does for A&F Review? She did a seminar for the KY/TN Chapter PPFA in July last year. It was very good (and what lead to my writing for A&F, by the way
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She sells all kinds of restoration supplies.

Oh, and about your lighting guy, have you seen the Rejuvenation Lamp and Fixture Co. Catalog? http://www.rejuvenation.com/

They make reproduction antique lighting but they also have parts. It's a great company and catalog to "wish" through

Hey, we'll have to talk sometime!

Betty
 
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