I had a phone call from a former customer who I have not chatted with in at least 25 years. He is a leading collector of antique photographs dating back to the origins of photography.
He was looking for advise in sourcing original French Second Empire picture frames for some albumin prints circa 1858 from France. He already has them in standard size mats with an O.D. of 16" x 20" with 4 ply and 8 ply rag boards. I do not know if they are from the unbuffered boards. He told me that he is currently using ready-made frames from Decor.
These are not exactly what I would consider as being appropriate for such items.
He was looking for a cheaper source of these frames than his current source, eBay FR, due to the cost of shipping, plus a person who could clean and repair the frames for exhibit in museum shows.
As a framer and gilder/restorer of frames I did enjoy the conversation. I doubt; however, that anything will come of a professional nature between us. One of his inquiries was for me to take a modern ready-made frame and gild/antique it with metal leaf or real gold leaf.
Does anyone have any comments?
He was looking for advise in sourcing original French Second Empire picture frames for some albumin prints circa 1858 from France. He already has them in standard size mats with an O.D. of 16" x 20" with 4 ply and 8 ply rag boards. I do not know if they are from the unbuffered boards. He told me that he is currently using ready-made frames from Decor.


He was looking for a cheaper source of these frames than his current source, eBay FR, due to the cost of shipping, plus a person who could clean and repair the frames for exhibit in museum shows.
As a framer and gilder/restorer of frames I did enjoy the conversation. I doubt; however, that anything will come of a professional nature between us. One of his inquiries was for me to take a modern ready-made frame and gild/antique it with metal leaf or real gold leaf.
Does anyone have any comments?
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