Closed Corner Frame Vendors

Create a Post
John Ranes II CPF GCF

John Ranes II CPF GCF

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Founding Member
Joined
Nov 5, 1997
Posts
3,810
Location
Appleton, Wisconsin, USA
Business
The Frame Workshop of Appleton, Inc
Larson Juhl's venture into this area has framers talking about and examining this upper end product, and that's a good thing. I've visited a few shops in the past that do some business with closed corner frames, and one that had a 90% presentation of this specialty product!

My question is directed toward those with experience in this area. Which vendors do you like to do business with? What are they particularly good at? Finish? Service? Unique designs?

We're already using about 30 profiles from AMCI and just ordered a dozen new samples from Regence.

Please share with us...
Thanks in advance.

John
 
John, this is going to be a very interesting and instructive thread in my opinion. The most promissing new entry I've seen in quite a while. Hope it will be rich and long lasting too.
 
IMHO:
APF for period reproductions.
A Street Frames for urban/edgy/modern.

I also show Athen's Framing Gallery, Edward Wright, Thanhardt-Burger, C&J, AMCI, Animaux, San Marcos, and Mertrade. Most consistant sellers are from AMCI, Athens, and APF in that order.
 
Great Idea John.

Sterling Moulding Metal and some 22K. Can copy ANY finish. Any depth you want to pay for. Has design that are unique Nouveau, and sports as well as Regent and L15/16, some Mannerist.

Daedalian Frames for minor Tabernacel frames and Neo Arts & Craft chip carved.

Saw Rhonda Fineman in Austin and fell in love with her "spindle carved" NO compo Regency frames....now what can I put in one....must possess.

Portland Bungalow for wild and extreem wall enhancement. :D
smileyshot22.gif
 
May I suggest to you to post links to as many of your favorite suppliers as possible? And don't forget to add what are they particularly good at.
 
If you go to my shops web site www.printsetcsf.com and click on the "resources" page you can see a variety of available cutom frame vendors. Sorry no links or phone numbers on the site. Some of the companies have retail stores and I don't want my clients shopping me.
 
Baer, Would you please explain the Portland Bungalow frames? I have a client that uses some pretty wild "craft" style frames (for the lack of a better descriptive phrase) that are made from sections of some kind of conifer. It reminds me of "tramp" art, only on steroids. He has them shipped to me, I install the art and ship them to their final destination. They are all signed on the back, but no 2 have been by the same person.
 
C&J Picture Frames (cjframes.com) for beautifully finished mouldings -orders usually take three weeks and they are very accomodating. We tried other companies but found the profiles too fussy or the leaf not buttery enough.
For wood and steel frames - A Street Frames - gorgeous fishtail oak and steel frames that are museum quality.
 
C&J Picture Frames (cjframes.com) for beautifully finished mouldings -orders usually take three weeks and they are very accomodating. We tried other companies but found the profiles too fussy or the leaf not buttery enough.
For wood and steel frames - A Street Frames - gorgeous fishtail oak and steel frames that are museum quality.
 
We got it the first time Holly... :D LOL

Thanks for the reminder about the "feel" of C&J's gold leaf. It was one of the things that did impress me.

Wally, Portland Bungalow is the shop in my 'garage'.

See anything of mine in the Design folder... that is a small snapshot of the whack stuff I do.

""tramp" art, only on steroids", sounds VERY interesting, can you pass me a picture of two?
 
Rhonda Feinman has beautiful frames.

CDNV and C& J are also georgeous.

It would be hard to pick just one company from ALL those mentioned here.
 
Marty "I once gold leafed a nipple in a bar" Horowitz?

Designed the LJ stuff. They should have had him do the work. But then, he's not much on that white cotton glove thing.... :D

Love ya Marty. I'm still waiting...can you make the ovals or not?
 
A Street is quite nice, steel frames that have unique finshes. The typical great period frames from, C+J, Regence, Amci, Munn (their stuff is silly).Mertrade was listed earlier...they have great stuff. Heck their catalog alone will take your breath away. The folks at PETA might not think to greatly of them though. Small corp has the welded metal frames, for the museum /gallery look.

Fine Art Framing, great hard woods. There is another gentle that I used in the past, he did really nice hard woods with great paints and stains. Traditional American furniture types, but he does painted finishes for a shabby cheek thing. Sorry name is lost in my little head

I know they don't do finished corner frames, but Biederman out of Germany has nice golds and silver that you can't seem to get here in the states. There are a few shop out there that mill their own stuff that are quite nice. I just love to see that.
Patrick Leeland
 
If Marty was doing the gilding you couldn't afford the frame. I love his work and cary a few of his samples but only my highest end clients can afford it. Sold one today though. Pat on my back.
 
We use Edward Wright mostly. His styles tend to be more simplistic with a focus on a true custom finish. If you are able to sell finished corner frames, you should seriously look at Edward's frames, he is a master of finishing.

http://www.framesbyedwardwright.com/
 
My 2 cents.

I have samples from Abe Munn, Regence, Thanhardt-Burger, and a few from AMCI, American Choice and Wesley-Allen. No bad experience with any of them - although the jury is still out on APF's ownership of Munn.

Pat :D
 
Pat got it, it was Wesley Allen that I used at another shop. They are quite nice and the rep was a nice guy
Patrick Leeland
 
Originally posted by Baer Charlton:
""tramp" art, only on steroids", sounds VERY interesting, can you pass me a picture of two?
Click to expand...
Baer, Deb was out today to use "Shagundela" (the Wizard I bought from her) and took a couple pix of the frame in question...will post soon...I hope.
 
I'm working on it, Wally.
The pictures are downloaded. Now let's see if I can follow directions.
 
Come on Deb, you can do it! I know you can. I right clicked on the red box and I can see them, so they are there.......
 
Okay, I used a different photo host this time. Let's see if this works!

craftframe0.jpg
 
Thanks Deb. Now you can teach me...and if I ever get my digital camera back from my daughter...

To get a sense of scale, the background for the full frame shot is a couple pieces of 40x60 foamcore turned on edge. O.D. of frame is 51"Hx59"W.
 
It's Adirondack Art, also known as Camp Art or Camp Style. Very popular during the 1880s through the 1930s in the Adirondacks and Pochinohs (someone shoot me for my mangling these fine regions)

Awe ****! Upstate NY.

These were an outgrowth of the "finer" families going away to "Camp" for the summers. These are the first Great Lodges of the indurstrial age.

The kids and adults alike, cut up the willows and glued them to furniture. And then there was even several lines of furniture that were regionally produced using the willows and Birch Bark trees.

The trees need to be cut in the cold weather inorder for the layers of bark to stay adheried to the wood. (Unless you want to just silicone the bark back on.. :D )

Truly a beautiful frame. Amazing they are coming all the way down to FL... but then so do I on occation.
thumbsup.gif
 
They're out of Oregon. There seems to be a group of artisans making them. No 2 alike. This is the first one that I've seen that has "book matched" elements.
Thanks for the info about the history. I've often wondered their origin.
 
I have heard of some "Willow Workers" down near Grants Pass. But it was in reference to Lodge furniture which I also make.

It would be a logical extention...mmmm.

Do you know where or who the company is?
 
Had to dredge this back up. I don't know if Albert Litter Studios is very widely known but I really like thier stuff. In fact they're the only closed corner samples on our walls besides my own. Very unique and eclectic finishes often combined with rough carving. I'm posting an example of their style. Sorry for the flash. I wanted to take the glass out but haven't found the time.
P1010020.JPG
P1010009.JPG
 
Perfect frame for the Molla, Terry.

We have a Panamanian friend whos whole house is decorated in Mollas.. she has them framed down there and you wouldn't want to know how buck ugly the jobs are....

But she swears that it's the traditional way.... think tackey Leroy Neiman and over price Waikikii gallery framing....
faintthud.gif
 
Originally posted by Baer Charlton:
[QB] It's Adirondack Art, also known as Camp Art or Camp Style. Very popular during the 1880s through the 1930s in the Adirondacks and Pochinohs ...

The kids and adults alike, cut up the willows and glued them to furniture. And then there was even several lines of furniture that were regionally produced using the willows and Birch Bark trees.
Click to expand...
We have sold two of the original pieces in our antique mall (original or some d*** good reproductions). We have a couple of good reproductions on the floor now.
 
My 2 cents as a woodworker/furniture builder first and a frame maker second. My wife has ordered or else a gallery representing her ordered frames for her work. These supposed "gallery quality" frames are pure @#$*&@!! In almost no time the corners separate and most of the compo gold is layed on and wrinkled. I'm currently gilding frames for her using a dark red primer, slow size, and shellac for toner on composition metal. The key is to securely clamp and cut the molding -- I'm using two #20 biscuits on each corner (4" plus molding), cabinet makers glue from Lee Valley, and clamping them over-night. Like I said, the closed corner frames she has purchased are obviously a production product. Like all things of quality, you can't rush the process! John
 
Whoops, almost forgot to mention that she has bought several ready made, closed corner frames from Hackman who I believe is located in Ohio. They are really well made and look good.
John
 
Woodworks by John has a good point. In this fast paced world, are your customers willing to wait for the better quality that takes time to make? Or do they still want it NOW?

Which suppliers have a good balance between quality, and turn-around time?
 
Sue -
Again, educating your customer is the key - - -
Properly made closed corner frames are built from the wood up - with the carving, gesso, clay, gilding, distressing, and hand rubbed finishes being done by experienced craft-persons who have gained their expertise from years of practice. Many of these frames will most likely outlive the artwork that they house.
 
Create a Post
Back
Top