What to do when old treasures fall apart? When it comes to photographs and old frames, we can certainly help you. A customer came to see me with a seriously deteriorated portrait photo of her mother and a small vintage picture frame that was broken. These items had a an immense sentimental value and the owner was extremely concerned about preservation.The first step was to have the photograph restored. Local photographer Charles Bryant took this as a personal mission and resurrected the original clarity and colour. At the same time multiple copies were printed, and this way every member of the family got their own personal copy.
The little vintage photo frame had seen better days. The hand-hammered copper was bent and cracked and simply could not serve as a frame anymore. My solution was to clean it up and insert it into another frame. We chose a small shadowbox moulding called Sofia by Larson-Juhl.
This beautifully reflects the time period and colouring of the original frame. I float mounted the copper frame on an archival mounting board, added a generous amount of spacing and finished it with a piece of conservation quality glass. The whole piece is like a piece of jewellery!
The customer was very pleased with the presentation... and very happy to have her mother back. In a way, this really was an act of love and affection, a beautiful way to pay homage to someone very dear and close.
If you have little treasures stored away in boxes and photo albums, put them together and come and see me! Together we can create a one-of-a-kind piece of home decor that is much much more than just a pretty picture!
September is a major picture framing month, it is the time for all the art tours and group shows. This is also a perfect time to redecorate! I have plenty of ideas how to add some fresh colour to a home without getting into a extensive renovation! Just call to book a free consultation or drop by to get some quick ideas!
Wishing you a fun and creative fall season,
I remain,
Outi, the Frame Dame :)
