The Framers Forum

I've made these two large gallery frames to fit around some more recent art.

The profile is only 30mm wide and is understandably a bit difficult to make an interesting photograph.



Here the base wood is tulip and this has been veneered with what is now antique Palisander Rosewood.
Export of that timber is banned, so only existing veneer stock can be used.
Which is a shame as it is a very beautiful wood. Its the genus of rosewood that is seen on most antique furniture and Victorian picture frames.


The profile for these frames is quite unusual in that the sight edge is undercut and the gilding brought down over it.
This gives the illusion of the frame floating above the surface of the art work.


And for those anxious to know, the gilding is 23ct gold, water-laid and left bright but un-burnished.

They're beautiful! I'm interested to know how the outside face is finished. Is that veneered too? As I've seen some examples of your work where the outside edge is not veneered and wondered why not. I've always thought of the side of the frame as equally important visually as the face. Is it typical/traditional not to finish the side to the same level?

Thanks for that Justin.

Traditionally the outside wall of 'flat' veneered frames was left uncovered.
The exception to that rule was with some Birds Eye Maple frames where it was affordable to bring the veneer down over the outside wall.

All Rosewood frames were considered expensive to produce and since the veneer was highly polished and strongly figured, the plain finish on the outside wall did not detract from the overall appearance of the frame.

On these frames, I painted a strongly pigmented shellac varnish onto the outside walls.

Could you show us the side of this one?

No, can't do that.
They've gone off to the gallery for fitting up.
One's for a Picasso original and the other a Lowry.

What I did on the outside walls was to first paint on a strong solution of Van Dyke stain.
Then added gradual quantities of both Carbon Black and Brown Umber dry pigments to a shellac varnish which had been toned with some Walnut spirit dye.

When the pigments reach a point of almost opacity, the varnish gives a beautiful matt antique paint effect.

Very nice work, and i really like that rebate profile

Thank you, theframer.

It's actually quite a tricky detail to create.
The slightest deviation when cutting it can screw up the internal dimensions of the profile.

Its a shame we didnt see the picture in it, i bet it looks great, have you done that profile before? and do you have any pictures of one with artwork in?

No, sadly I'm just the guy that makes the frames.

I don't mind really as if I did have the artworks, then I'd have to clean the place up to make room for the framing bit.
And then I wouldn't be able to find anything.

The moulding, I've done before but have tweaked it a bit to give the gilding more of a purpose.
Too steep a slope on the sight line and the gilding doesn't do anything.
Too shallow a slope and it all looks a bit 'clown-face'.

The gallery also needed a lot more rebate height to pack in a fairly thick mount board package.
That's where the benefit of being able to buy thick boards of tulip wood comes in handy.

Never mind, If they send you pictures of them fitted up please share if you are allowed.