Large Poster Advice Please ASAP

[KL Smith]

I have a client that has brought in a large 100 year old Peugeot poster measuring about 4 x 5 feet. It has a value of about $2000 - $3000 and it is currently mounted on a lightweight linen cloth and sitting on a card backing about 1/2 inch thick, with two strap hangers on the back. The poster appears to be mounted on the corners of the linen to this back board. The entire piece is shrinkwrapped.

Question: The client wants us to place a metal frame around this and glaze it with Acrylite Reflection Control, but he doesn't want to ruin the intregrity of the piece by cutting the linen backing which apparently is used to give the 100 year old paper poster additional strength. So, we would be basically leaving the piece as is on the card backing (probably not acid free), removing the shrinkwrap and sandwiching the backing, poster, and acrylite directly on to the poster, and placing it in a metal frame. I am getting a bad feeling about this.

What other options do I have and/or how would you frame this?

Thanks,

 

[Dave]

If I understand you correctly, the piece appears to be somewhat stretched across the linen and secured at all four corners. If this is correct and the integrity of the "stretching/mounting" seems to be intact, then I would leave the package as is...especially since that is what your client requested. If there is no discoloration of the poster after 100 years, the linen appears to be enough of a barrier.

If the mounting appears to sag, you might consider attaching a strip of linen along the sides and top by lifting the edge and sewing several short strips to the linen backing and adhering to the back board. If this is necessary then you'd have to determine the exact method when you inspect the piece more closely.

The "bad feeling" I get is the thought of placing the poster directly against the Acrylite. There should be some spacer placed to keep the surface of the acrylic off the surface of the poster...possibly Frame Space.

Dave Makielski

 

[Terry Hart cpf]

Sounds like you need to get that shrinkwrap off before you can tell for sure exactly how its mounted. If its a bad mount & you're sure you can remove it & redo properly then reccomend it. If not it's better to leave well enough alone than to risk damage.

 

[wpfay]

The pigments on these old lithographs are subject to burnishing from the glazing should there be 1)contact, and 2)vibration (like when it is loaded in the rental truck to deliver it).
The linen backing is not integral. It was probably done within the recent past and can be undone or redone with relative ease by a company that specializes in that (Poster Conservation, inc. being one).
Using non-reflective (etched) acrylic glazing with proper spacing will result in a slight diffusion of the image. Not "warm fuzzies" just fuzzes.
Without knowing the composition of the existing support you might be doing more harm than good by including it in the frame package.
ASAP? Is the owner in a huge hurry to get this done? Not something I would like to have as a rush job.

 

[Jim Miller]

...100 year old Peugeot poster measuring about 4 x 5 feet. It has a value of about $2000 - $3000 and it is currently mounted on a lightweight linen cloth and sitting on a card backing about 1/2 inch thick...

Wally's right -- unless you are confident that the existing backing is inert and stable, I would replace it with, say, 10 mm Coroplast. In a closed-up frame package, chemical migration would be more of a problem than if it were hanging unprotected by a frame with glazing.

I suggest leaving the linen backing as-is. Technically, it may be cut or folded, but that still represents a change of condition. In order to frame it intact, use a stacked frame assembly, with a face-frame wide enough to cover the linen and a perimeter-frame deep enough to accommodate plenty of spacer and reinforced backing. For details and photos for this method, see the August 2005 Picture Framing Magazine, page 60, "Framing a Vintage Poster".

For glazing, I agree with Wally again. Gotta have a generous spacer, enough to prevent contact of the wrinkled poster with the glazing. The etched, non-glare Acrylite would make it look fuzzy.

You said "about" 48" x 60". If you find the image actually is 41" or less wide, you can use Optium Museum Acrylic, which comes 41" x 71". This optically coated, anti-reflection acrylic would provide the best possible view, 98% UV protection, and anti-static properties (actually less static charge than ordinary glass) to avoid pulling the fabric-backed poster toward the glazing.

Do not be rushed. If the customer thinks this is a two-hour job, you got some 'splainin' to do.

 

[KL Smith]

Thank you all for your excellent advice!

The reason for ASAP was that the client had a death in the family and had to leave town this morning. He wanted to wrap finalize this before he left town.

I think I have it under control now.

Again sincere thanks,