Framing high value artwork

[BeatnikFraming]

I had an enquiry this week from someone looking to set up a gallery. They have a collection of prints of high value they want to start framing, highly valuable with a couple the claim to be worth £50,000. It would be an ongoing job.

I said I would have to have a think and do some research. At the moment I feel very wary about taking it on and being responsible for a collection of that value. Im thinking you should have the fatg certificate in advanced conservation?

Am I being sensible or too cautious by pointing in him the direction of someone with more experience?

[JFeig]

I once framed a napkin with a drawing by Toulouse Lautrec with a security guard behind me.

[Not your average framer]

Be careful! Not everyone is what they seem. Some scams start off like this!

Ask yourself the question, If someone has £50,000 to spend on a painting, how come they are not taking it to someone with a strong room and special security arrangements. What happens if they bring the painting to you and somebody breaks in the takes it and then the want to claim on your insurance, but this was the plan from the beginning. How about, they take a few of your customers artworks just to make it look like an ordinary break in, where the bad guy got lucky and got a painting worth £50,000. If it happened to me, I'd be hearing alarm bells!

People with genuine £50,000 painting normally get them framed somewhere special. If you've got the money to buy a £50,000 paint, it stands to reason that you are going to be able to afford to take it to somewhere special to get it framed. Something a bit fishy about this, if you ask me!

[BeatnikFraming]

I should probably explain the circumstances he got in touch ...

He bought a couple of small oils from a Parisian gallery that had cement frames, these were broken in transit. So the gallery got in touch with me and asked if I could reframe in a simpler wood frame.

When he dropped the paintings to be framed he told me about his new venture and that he's looking for a framer.

I've since found the artist I'm reframing and his work sells for between 1000/2000.

I think he's legit and he says he is going to have a room with a safe for the prints and a framing room, so I guess final assembly could be done on site and I wouldn't need to have the artwork in my possession.

I think he's someone with a lot of money and a large private collection that he wants to show off but not necessarily with the know how.

My feeling has been to refer him to a framer that I know frames for the Tate Liverpool, even though this means passing up on work. I just thought I'd check on the forum to see what other people world do

[BeatnikFraming]

Mark your reply has sort of confirmed my feeling! Even if he is legit, he needs a framer who specialises in this with a strong room and appropriate insurance

[Abi]

My framing tutor does a lot of work for a national museum. He visits the museum to measure up, makes the frame, and visits the museum for fitting. The artwork never leaves the museum.

[JFeig]

Lance, sometimes wealthy people are the hardest to work with and are very frugal with framing.

Where is that chirping bird?

[prospero]

I once had a Thorburn watercolour to reframe. It was quite big - 46" wide I seem to remember. I was one of his 'Lost Stag' themes
of which he did a few. Interesting how the paper was prepared. It was mounted on canvas and stretched on bars. The artist was
known for taking great pains to prepare his grounds.
The frame was a horror. Gold-painted highly acidic mount with 3mm 'window' glass. In spite of this the painting was as good as the
day it was finished (1898). Goes to prove that the real factor in 'conservation' is to use good materials it the actual art.

Anyhow, the value going buy the auction prices at the time was 50-80K.

I tried not to think too much about that.

I reframed it using a big chunky frame with a deep bevel liner. Which brought the long dimension to 48". Which meant I could use
a sheet of Museum glass with minimal waste.

[Not your average framer]

Lovely! I've seen that one in one of his bookss.

Very nice frame and presentation!

[JFeig]

I never had a "strong room"; but I did have a proper alarm system and did inform my insurance company when something of major value was on the premises. I also had a clause in my work orders that any item with a value of over $5,000 had to be verified with a proper third party appraisal report.

[michelleart]

Framing make the art work more attractive. Like you know, A book judged by its cover, maybe I m wrong.
I have my own canvas art work store . I like the framed work.

[jay]

This has just reminded me of when I framed a photograph that was to be a surprise for the Queen ( she didn't know this copy existed) It was one of 5, 2 of which had 'disappeared', so this was 1 of only 3 left. I had to 'sign it in' and didn't tell a soul I had it. I woke up in the middle of the night with the sudden realisation that I'd better make sure it was 'signed out' too!! I suppose it was 'priceless' but I couldn't think about that when I had it in my possession.