Help ID'ing Mats Bought as a Lot

Create a Post
B

BigMike66

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Posts
111
Loc
Denver, Colorado
I've purchased a bunch of mats from local store closings. Now that I have a (very) slight idea of what I'm doing for my hobby, I'm needing to be very sure of the mat type for my 1st conservation project.

Example:

Crescent has three numbers on the backside: 11, 110309, #1626

I found #1626 on an online 2007 pdf catalog from Crescent. It's ID'd as C1626 ..... Lapis, ragmat 4 ply 32 x40.

What's with the other numbers?

What numbers do you use/go by in your shops?

Thanks!

Mike
 
c1626
 
No clue what those other numbers mean,
and framers pretty much just ignore them.
One nice thing is that 1626 is a conservation mat,
so it's going to be better for the art than if you
had bought papermats. I don't know what other
people on here do, but when I cut mats on our
Fletcher, I'd use #12 (or 1200) blades for paper
mats and #15 (or 1500) blades for conservation
mats.
 
I just go by the mat code #, i.e. the #1626 - that identifies the colour of the mat. There is usually a name, e.g. Crescent, Alphamat Artcare, stamped too so you can identify the brand of matboard. I have no idea what the other numbers mean; perhaps batch #'s so if there is a quality problem it could be traced back to a certain batch?
 
You can get a specifier from Crescent where you buy your boards, but in general, Crescent numbers are 4 digit numbers on 32x40 boards. Those beginning with 14, 15, and 16 are rag board. They use a 6 as a prefix on 40x60 boards and an 8 prefix for black cores. Those other numbers are meaningless to us. Most of the 3 digit numbers are paper mats that have been treated to be "acid free." The do not meet most standards of preservation framing.
 
Yeah, Jerome.. how'd you come up with that date from that set of numbers?:confused:

110309

11=month, 03=day, 09= year

or another way could be the European way:

11= day, 03= month, 09=year.
:beer:
 
'Cardboard Chuck" gave me the code possibly 20 years ago.......

The outer 2 numbers are the year
The next 2 going in..... are the month
The center 2 are the day.
---- Hint ---- when you look at the wheel that makes the markings it will make more sense (reverse).


BTY, he was a rep for Crescent.
 
There are paper mats that are both three digits (ie 921) and four digits (3321). the ones that start with a 3, 4, or 9 are all regular mats--ie. not conservation. A 6 actually denotes black core and 8 denotes an oversize mat. Some paper mats that have an "SRM" in front indicate that it's a 'whitecore' mat but it's still not conservation (ie. SRM921). Linens and suedes are always going to start with a 7 (7114) and are conservation quality. And there will be rag mats that start with 17 too. Frequently those are "antiquarian" boards that have a cream colored core to look older and not as bright white. They are also conservation quality. It seems so confusing now but you'll start to learn the numbers and what they mean pretty quickly.

I also tried to private message you but couldn't. If you want some specifiers, I will send you mine when I'm done with them. Sadly I am closing my shop up too (along with so many others). I have specifiers for all the major board types--

Crescent paper and decorative mats
Crescent rag and fabric mats
Bainbridge paper
Bainbridge Rag and fabric
True View (aka Miller) which was taken over by Crescent. This will be handy if you have boards from them that have the old numbers. You can cross refrence them from the old specifier and then match them up with the newer assigned Crescent numbers.

Let me know if you're intrested in those. I can mail them out to you when I'm done clearing out my shop.
 
kdub said:
I also tried to private message you but couldn't. If you want some specifiers, I will send you mine when I'm done with them. Sadly I am closing my shop up too (along with so many others). I have specifiers for all the major board types--
Click to expand...

Thanks for the detailed reply, and the specifier offer.

I'm strictly a hobbyist, maybe cutting 1 or 2 mats a month. The specifier you offered should go to someone with a greater need.

And, sorry to hear about the need for you to close your shop.

Mike
 
Thanks, Jerome...

WOW!!! That sure is one convoluted way of marking the date!! :icon9:
 
Create a Post
Back
Top