The Framers Forum

I've got a customer with a vintage painting in a swept frame that has seen better days and they want to replace it. I've had a look round several suppliers' web sites but can't see too much choice. Apart from Frinton Frames, can anyone suggest another supplier that specialises in traditional swept frames, either in gold or stained wood like the original frame attached.

Larson juhl do a range of swept frames but they are in fixed sizes

I suppose the first question is, what's wrong with Frinton Frames?
If it's about limited choice, then there's maybe someone like Tanous Frames or other ( Google reproduction gilded frames ). You will be getting into the area of bespoke frame making and the price can be considerable.
The best solution really is to have the original frame restored. That will cost less and be more convincing than a manufactured reproduction.
Sorry to say it but any swept frame from the usual mass market suppliers is going to be - horrible!

There is a surprising variation of designs used in the past for this type of frame. Trying to make a new repro of one
would like try to make a Ford Capri from scratch.
Frinton frames are very good and as well as their standard range they will try to accommodate individual designs if
you talk to them nicely.

*** I had a lady who brought in a similar frame and wanted another like it. She fully expected me to be able to order
one from the same company who made it and pointed out that the makers label was on the back with address and phone
number. It did indeed have all the contact details. it was also dated. 1908.

Thank you all very much for the helpful replies.

An alternative would be to restore the frames. There used to be an auction house in my town and I used to buy swept frames cheaply form the auction, to tidy up the frames to sell them with mirror glass in them as framed mirrors. Some of these frames needed some degree of restoration. I was not particularly looking for frames to restore, but sometimes I would be buying a job lot and there might be a damaged frame, or two in that job lot. Maybe a little bit of restoration on the frames, might be a good way forward in this case!

Thanks, Mark. The rest of the frame is in a pretty bad way, although I've told the customer that restorers can sometimes work wonders with fillers, moulds etc, and I've suggested a restorer. The customer is currently mulling over the options.