Here's a New One !

[Rick Granick]

Been framing for almost 30 years, but this was a new one for me:
Customer brought in a silkscreen print that was done in 1962, and had been in the frame since 1969. Typical period frame, paper mats (Rust and Cypress, I think), print taped to back of mats with reg. foamcore behind. The odd thing was there was a spot on the print which appeared to have melted. The inks were drippily distorted and darkened in this spot. Upon inspecting the insides, the foamcore backing appeared SINGED in the area behind the print's spot. What we had at first suspected was mildew damage actually turns out to be (apparently) a BURN.
Our theory is that wherever this piece has been hanging, some glass element such as a bevelled mirror or window pane has been focussing sunlight on this one spot the way kids use a magnifying glass to burn holes in leaves on a summer day!
Anyone else ever encounter this effect?
This is the most unusual thing we've seen since the time we were asked to repair a print which had been shot with a bullet. (That happened to have been on the 22nd of November. We now have the piece's original bullet-riddled backings in a frame in our workshop along with some text about a "single bullet theory...")
Rick

 

[Kit aka emrr]

Hi Rick. Here we are, starting over.

Your theory about a burn sounds "off the wall" but possible. Is there any way to determine what sort of ink was used on the silk screening? Sometimes old inks (especially black) were made with oak galls or other weird ingredients that can have interesting chemical reactions over time. But I like the sun reflecting from mirror idea. You haven't been watching too many episodes of Survivor, have you? Kit

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Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana

 

[JRB]

Sounds like your customer came real close to having a house fire.
I've been in the industry for 35 years, never heard this one before. I sounds realistic though.

John

 

[Frank]

Heard of a similar case once from a fellow whose name I have completely forgotten. Seems he had a customer return a limited edition piece that had a faded spot on it. He inspected the location where it hung and couldn't find a problem so he had the piece replaced and rehung it for her. A couple of months later here she comes again. Same problem, same spot, same shape of spot. He knew then that it had to be an enviromental problem but couldn't figure it out. He returned to the house several times at different times of the day and nothing. One day he was there late in the day when the sun normally didn't come in the house and the husband drove up in front and wahla! The sun was reflecting off the husband's car's windshield right onto the spot on the print!

So yeah, it can and does happen.

[This message has been edited by Frank (edited May 03, 2001).]

 

[Mel]

Rick,

You are in Dallas? Is this for real? I'm sure I'm not the only one that would be intersted in going off subject to hear about this.

 

[Scarfinger]

Many leaded glass pieces have those pieces of glass that look like the bottom of a bottle - to make them look old. These are actually lenses and can focus light just like a magnifying glass. And they call these sun catchers suggesting they be hung in sunny windows.