The Framers Forum

I recieved a delivery of small ltd edition prints the other day, priced to sell at around £12 each they are a nice little stocking filler for christmas. Sadly, when I unpacked them the presentation of the product was so bad that i just put them back in their box for return to the publisher. The prints were mounted - attached to the back of the mount with masking tape and then bagged up without a backing board.

An email to the publishers, who are FATG members, got a fairly quick response telling me that these were produced to be a cheap gift market product. Fair enough for open edition prints, but, I protested, the difference between producing a reasonable and exceptable quality was pennies - backing board and better quality tape.

The publishers eventually sent me another set of prints of an acceptable standard - they seem to be selling quite well and i am happy that my customer is buying something of merchantible quality that will last.

Looking at the quality of a lot of the mounted work i get in for framing makes me realise that many publishers dont pay any attention to the longevity of the work - despite much of it being quite expensive. On the other hand I buy in work from some publishers thats mounted and presented immaculately. FATG recommendation for ltd edition prints does say that the cost of the print should be considered - personally i think if you sell a ltd edition print then you should mount it in a reasonable quality mount even if its a little print that doesnt cost a fortune- the cost of producing a better product would have been negligable.

Hi Markw,

Before I answer this, please realise that as a member of the Framers Committee of the Guild, I do have to be careful what I say, especially with ongoing situations, such as this one. But I will try and let you know what is happening, without dropping myself into the myre.

The Guild as you know have set standards for printing, that also includes the inks, paper quality, etc. that are used, etc. These are rigorusly independantly tested, and once all criteria has been met, the prints in question can be registered with the Guild. Also the printer / publisher who wishes to become a printer / publisher member of the Guild, is also independantly tested, and once they have net all the criteria and standards, they are so registered. BUT here's the catch, they dont print all their work to Guild standards, they pick and choose what run of prints they want registered, which personally for me is wrong, if they are registered and tested printers, ALL their subsequent work should adhere to the standards, but what do we do? I think this should be changed. Had these prints been registered with the Guild, was the Guild logo on the print border?

As for the masking tape, we all know it should never have been used (I dont even have it in my workshop), thats a cheap and rather nasty way of attaching prints, a cheap and nasty way of attaching anything, even cheaper quality work, but how and ever. Another thing that publishers do, is attach the print along the top edge (from the front), again not a good idea and not to Guild standards, but they use a pressure sensitive tape as well, again not adhereing to Guild standards, the reasons? Costs / Time and tongue cancer! Dont ask me why the tongue cancer aspect came up, but its a fact, after all they could use archival gummed tape and use a wetted pad, etc. This is where the time aspect comes in, and that is why they dont 'T Hinge'. This was discussed at our last committee meeting in November (so thats as far as I can go on this, sorry, but I will keep you up to date as the discussions develop).

Speaking personally, I buy all my prints from the major companies 'Flat Packed' and unmounted, and I do get it a bit cheaper, this saves all the hassle, plus then my clients can choose their won colour of mounts, etc. I buy very little 'Tubed' and if the company we are ordering from normally sends it tubed, we ask for flat packing, we havent been turned down, so far.

One more thing, I know Rosie has been on the backs of the publishers for some time now because of the way they not only tape their prints, but also the way the hinge and undermount, she will keep up the pressure, as will the Framers Committee. (I can remember my first discussion on this matter in 2000 and its still ongoing

Steven