The Framers Forum

Hi all, I hope everyone is well. Where are you sourcing your swept frames from nowadays? A scarce and increasingly expensive commodity these days it appears! Any contacts appreciated, Cheers DJ.

Can you post a picture or profile of the design you are looking for? Do you want length moulding or ready-made frames?

If it is what I think you want, swept back moulding designs, they are mostly out of style these days, thus the scarcity.

Attached is a profile chart that you can more explain what style you are looking for.
https://www.craftsmanspace.com/free-pat ... dings.html

The traditional ready made swepts, I understood they mostly come from China and for various reasons they have increased in price thats why, Wessex, LJ and Simons are running their stocks down and not supplying any more.

It has not very worthwhile for at least 10 years. Frinton Gallery still do them to order,

Thanks, I used to make them into mirrors but not much call now, the alternative/punk art scene like them the traditional against the punky thing, I make up the space with a mount. I normally double the price of what I buy them for then add the price of the mount and glass. I've found some on line but they are too expensive to make anything on the frames just the mounts and glass.

WOW, I've never even heard about this punk art thing. Do much do these punk art swept frames need to look like the really traditional frames? Maybe, you might be able to make something which is adequate for your own market. Perhaps even using some of your left over bits of moulding, isn't the punk thing about things being a little bit rough, rather than super perfect.

Whatya think?

A bit of both, some swepts and some ornate gold.

There's plenty on Larson Juhl website - I can't see stock though.

Only a few left they are running the stock down and discontinuing, none left in the sizes and colours I want. They'll come back into fashion one day and probably start stocking again!

I do the rainbow queens in gold swepts as well but got no pics, I've got 3 on the way I found from maple frames but like I said, expensive.

Yourpictureframes.co.uk do a range of swept frames in various sizes and colours. They also have them unfinished so you can colour them yourselves.

Thanks

Great thank you, D.

Anyone on here old enough to remember Mr Harold Horn at Sisslings in Bradford from the 1980's
He was the king of swept frames importing them from LIRA in Cesky Krumlov in Czech Rep.

My favourite story about him was when he phoned me early 80's.
Sisslings were a Daler distributor. I recognised his voice immediately and said " How can I help you? " I want to drop Daler and order COLOUR MOUNT. Gave me a nice stock order.
I asked him why are you making the switch?
I tried to order from Daler and they asked me for my account number. I suggested its Daler who should know my account number, but just hit a brick wall, so thats why I've phoned you

Sisslings went on to become one of our best COLOUR MOUNT distributors.
MORAL....Sometimes It can take years to get a new customer, and seconds to lose them!

I remember the Lira frames and mouldings from Sisslings.

They were dirt cheap and looked quite classy. The mouldings were on a base timber of some really ropey
pine, often with multiple finger-joints. This made them very twist-resistant though. Cutting/joining was could be
quite problematic but once you had it done you had a very strong frame.
When Sisslings closed they had a big sale and I bought loads of the moulding for peanuts prices. A lot of it got re-finished.
I still have bits in my shed.

When sweopt frame were easier to get, but not that easy to sell and get a decent price, I never had much success with them. Now they are harder to find, would I be right in guessing that maybe this is the time when they are like to be in demand and maybe more of a sellers market with the potential to make more money. Just wishful thinking!

The so-called 'Swept' frames that were imported from the Far East were typically very cheap, which is why
a lot were used in the '80s/'90s. They were quite 'brassy'. I have had a lot of success with refinishing them
in a more subtle tone to suit modern tastes. An Ivory base with hints of colour and touches of gold with an
overall wash of white emulsion looks much better the heavy 'antique' gold.

I've found however that there is little demand for any ornamented frames nowadays.

I used to advertise them on my web site with photos to offer as mirrors and got a lot of calls from companies that sell those framed new born hand prints and such like because they use them as standard but I hold stock just used to order in as needed from LJ. The smaller sizes are easier to source, a few companies on eBay, the larger ones are harder. I've sprayed them in pastel and bright colours before for mirrors but yes that style has certainly dropped off!