Museum Quality Frames

 

Matting and Mounting

Mats are used to hold the art secure and keep it from touching the Glass or Plexiglas. We use Rising Museum Board made from 100% Cotton Rag. www.legionpaper.com.

Your art deserves the highest quality matting and mounting materials made today. We believe consumers should know the facts about the methods of manufacture, contents and permanency of the board they are buying. Many boards are described as "archival" and "acid-free" but are made from wood pulp and are not the same quality as 100% Cotton Rag Board.

Most paper manufacturers obtain their water from nearby rivers and whatever foreign matter is contained in the water can wind up in their board. Iron and copper minerals, organic chemicals and microorganisms can create a yellowish- brown discoloration or stain in artwork matted with these boards. This is called foxing and is exactly what Museum Board is meant to prevent. Adding to the problem, mills that use river water first usually add alum to the water. Alum is a flocculent, a settling agent for the silt and impurities in the water which then end up in the board.

Rising 100% Cotton Museum Board is made with artesian well water that contains no iron or copper traces, a high concentration of calcium and a pH 7.2-7.6. Alum is never used in the manufacturing process. Neither is chlorine bleaching, a technique used in the manufacture of board made from paper pulp. The Rising Mill also creates their own hydroelectric power.

Papers that have survived the true test of time throughout the centuries are all 100% Cotton Rag.

Hinging is the proper way to mount works on paper because it is reversible. We use only Linen and Japanese paper hinges to hold the artwork in place. All work should be mounted using a reversible method. Spray adhesives and cheap tape will damage art.

Glass and Plexiglas

Ultraviolet/Conservation Glass and UV Plexiglas should be used to prevent fading of artwork. All works on paper are subject to fading and deterioration from Ultraviolet, Incandescent and Fluroescent Light. Pastels and Watercolors are the most vulnerable. Both UV Glass and UV Plexiglas protect work from light damage. UV Plexiglas is non-breakable and offers security against works being scratched by broken glass in shipping. Additionally, it is a safety precaution in seismicly active areas.

Also available are Museum Glass and Museum Plexiglas (Optimum Acrylic) manufactured by Tru-Vue. www.truvue.com. These materials are clear and Non-Reflective. Unlike regular Non-Glare Glass, which has a light sandblasting on the surface and fogs the image, Museum Glass has no sandblasting and is virtually see-through.

We use only the highest grade of UV Plexiglas available. It is manufactured by CYRO, an industry leader in manufacturing UV Plexiglas, Clear Plexiglas, UV/Matte Plexiglas (P99) and Scratch Resistant (AR) Plexiglas.

Custom Framed Mirrors

Mirror can be made to many specifications. Size, thickness, bevel width and color. Antique, blue and patterned mirrors can add a period look. We use only quality mirror made in either Italy or the United States.