Old Deed to be Framed

kgrebinger

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May 8, 2007
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Lancaster, Pa
A customer brought in a old deed, at least 100 years old. The edges on all four sides are not straight, but odd shaped. There is also text on the back. They would like to see all the edges and also have it framed to see the back.

Would sandwiching the deed between two pieces of UV plexi be a good idea.

They did like the examples of museum glass that we had on display. But I am not sure how to mount it to both show the edges and also the back. Any Suggestions?
Keith Grebinger
Grebinger Gallery
 
You could do a mylar encapsulation, mat back-to-back and frame it using a quarter round insert to hold the frame package together.
 
I do this fairly often. Usually use mylar when I do.

Here are a few of examples:
 

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Cliff read my mind......... <scary>
do it that way!!! ITS AWESOME!!! :thumbsup:
 
You could do a mylar encapsulation, mat back-to-back and frame it using a quarter round insert to hold the frame package together.
That's what I would do too. Hope it's not one of those ones that has permanent wavy creases from being folded for decades, and a thick wax seal.
;) Rick
 
Trampoline Mount

If the document is sturdy enough to support its own weight easily, you could suspend it in a space between the glazing panes. That is, cut a recto-verso window mat with a window about 1/4" larger than the document on all sides,or whatever makes a good see-through margin.

To suspend the document, attach lengths of matching cotton thread along each side using fresh-cooked starch paste, full-length, at the edges of the document's back on both sides. The starch paste's gloss disappears as it dries. Be sure not to apply paste near any inked area of the document.

Practice this pasting technique first. When you can paste the thread to the cheapest copier paper you can find, with so little paste that the paper does not cockle, you're good to go.

After the threads' paste dries, run the ends of the threads from each corner of the document up to the corners of the mat window, and paste them to one of the mats.

I call it a "trampoline" mount. I've used this technique a couple of times with good results. It is adapted from a similar mounting technique used to suspend a textile in a mat window, by lacing along its edges and gently stretching. I guess the concept came from the stretching of animal skins to dry them.
 
Fingertip-to-Fingertip Mount

Again, if the document is sturdy enough to support itself, you also could use four 1/8" diameter dowels of clear acrylic attached at one end to the inside of both glazing panes. Position the dowel pieces precisely, so that they meet at each corner of the document.

The ends of the dowels have to be exactly square-cut, in order for them to be glued perpendicular to the glazing, and to meet properly in the middle of the air space. Measure the dowels' lengths carefully, so that they gently meet in the middle of the air space between the panes. Apply a tiny spot of acrylic gel to the inside end of each dowel and let it dry, at least overnight.

Assembly of this mounting technique is tricky. You have to hold the document precisely in position while you fit the two glazing sheets into the frame. [Hint: The hard part is aligning the edges of the glazing sheets with the document in between them.] [Suggestion: Hold the document by Post-It Notes between the two panes vertically, then pinch the assembly together and slip it into the frame.

If you do it right, the four pairs of dowels will butt end-to-end and hold the document in place. The pre-dried dots of acrylic gel will compress slightly, and provide a non-slip surface to hold the document.

This makes a stunningly simple mount, if you can get it done. Out of three tries, I have succeeded with it only once.:icon9:
 
Too bad this is a public thread or clients would actually begin to think
framers really are magicians!

Jim, you just gave away the secret to the art-suspended-in-air-trick. :cool:

Two very interesting and innovative display techniques.
 
document display

Taking nothing away from the elegant ideas presented in this thread, one should always consider making a digital copy of the document and framing that, since the substrate may be relatively stable as would any carbon-based ink, but the ink used for signing is likely to be fugitive.


Hugh
 
Wow, amazing answers!

Hugh, would you scan or photograph to make the digital copy?
Would the scanning harm the document? My gut feeling is no, but I took a class at WCAF on old photos and it was recommended to shy away from scanning.

Susan
 
Wow, amazing answers!

Hugh, would you scan or photograph to make the digital copy?
Would the scanning harm the document? My gut feeling is no, but I took a class at WCAF on old photos and it was recommended to shy away from scanning.

Susan

Do you remember why? I could imagine a laser might be able to harm somethigns, but I've never seen it to that?
 
Scanning

The amount of light exposure that scanning will entail is modest in comparison to years on the wall, especially since one may not be able to ensure that the deed will not be exposed to sun light. Using a light stable ink set in the digital printing can ensure that the printed item will last long enough to preclude re-scanning (one can hardly imagine that the computer file will be legible at that late date.


Hugh
 
Do you remember why? I could imagine a laser might be able to harm somethigns, but I've never seen it to that?

I think that the real reason against scannng was glare or flare that occurred with the intense light.
But since Adobe bought Photoshop... that has become nothing more than a one step correction in the background layer.

Besides, the ability to scan in at 2,400 or higher dpi, knocks most camera work out of the ball park these days.

But that new 42meg 1,200 dpi with a 28-300 standard lens with AS does look very appealing..... I wonder if they would take my Prius as a down payment?:kaffeetrinker_2:
 
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