framing an old "map"

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Sally

Grumbler
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Mar 20, 2010
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Wyoming
the map is of the Wind River Indian reservation. It is hand drawn pen and ink on "brittle-ish tracing paper". It was drawn by a 15 year old boy in 1937. Very cool!!! I encapsulated the map in mylar then matted it and unfortunately we went with a cost saving metal frame.

The reason it is encapsulated is because -a)the paper was rolled a long long time and therefore very wrinked and wavey. And -b) much of the drawing goes close to the edge.

Problem is the glare. There is a lot of fine detail and it is terribly hard to view and I don't think museum glass would do the trick (although it would obviously help a lot) It is large - framed with mat about 36 x 42.

Any suggestiions on an alternative to mylar encapsulation? I would like to retrieve it from the customer and make it right!
 
On a budget - sounds like you went the right way. If you put museum glass over the mylar, you'll still see some glare from it (the mylar)

Alternatives - If budget is not a concern (sounds like it might be....) - float the map over acid free substrate (mat/fabric, etc) and direct contact overlay with Optium plex. Big bucks but nearly invisible.

On a budget - do the same but with OP3 or similar quality plexi. Not the same non-glare advantage as Optium but likely an improvement over glass/mylar.
 
Might be cheaper to get it reproduced and frame the copy - wouldn't matter if you dry mounted that but you probably wouldn't need to.

Being rolled up for years may have caused some problems but prevented others, like UV exposure that framing is now providing, with or without UV glass.
 
You could change the encapsulation from Mylar to Invisimount. It is not mylar, it is one of the polys, but it is like those nonglare sheet protectors for three ring binders.

You can buy it from Pat Kotnour at AttachEZ - she is a Grumbler and has ads in the trade magazines.
 
The roll of Invisimount that I have is only 18" wide (unlike the Melinex which is 36" wide). From the size of the frame, it sounds like this is a big map, so I don't think the Invisimount would be wide enough to use, unless Pat has come out with a wider roll now.
 
Cut two appropriately colored contrasting mats (same thickness), float the map on one of the drop outs and then inlay it into the other color. Then frame the mounted map directly against conservation acrylyic (reg. or NG). I keep warped conservation foam core around to give extra pressure to this type of mount.
 
Why not flatten it (or have a conservator do it) and float it within an 8 ply window, or with spacers? Then you'd be without the mylar, and you'd cut the glare down to a reasonable amount. If it's really fragile, it could be lined by a conservator, which would be expensive but probably not more than the Optium would cost.
 
Thanks for all the interesting ideas. With my urging, the client did pay to have a high quality digital image made. she wanted the original framed. At some point she will look further into having it reproduced in a way that would benefit a tribal educational organization.

A conservator may be an option at some point but I don't believe the she is likely to go that direction yet.

When I get a chance I will further investigate the options that you have provided. My hope would be to avoid cutting new mats as that would be my dime. The invisimount is an appealing option if it is big enough.

Thanks everyone!! Keep 'em coming :))
 
Oh...and the OP3 or OP3-99 overlay seems like a doable option. Is that common to have a direct contact overlay like that for something that is preservation oriented?
 
Sally said:
...A conservator may be an option at some point but I don't believe the she is likely to go that direction yet.
Click to expand...

Yet? In my limited experience, whatever the customer decides to do now will be the end of it. Two reasons seem to confirm this theory:

1. Today's framing will be deemed "good enough", as the added value of better framing goes unrecognized. You might not get another chance to make the case for conservation treatment.

2. If the idea is to re-frame with better methods and materials in the future, that would probably come back to mind only after deterioration has proceeded to the point of being noticed. But by then, the conservation treatment would surely cost more, and the resulting benefit of it may be reduced.

Please campaign for proper conservation treatment and protective framing now, not later.
 
I agree about the conservator, of course. I will say that the map/drawing is really in pretty good shape just a bit crinkley in spots and wavey. The good thing is that it, as I understand it, is hanging in a low lit area of the house.

My hope is to connect with the customer and go check it out and have more discourse with her on the options. The bonus is getting to check out her wonderful Red Canyon ranch!
 
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