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A restored vintage frame can be as much a work of art as the painting it surrounds.
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Frame RestorationThere's an old adage, which states that a good painting needs a good frame and a bad painting needs a fabulous frame. But regardless of the artwork, you want the frame to bring out the best in your piece, and restoring an old, hand-carved wooden frame can be a wonderful alternative to a new frame. In some cases, a period frame can be a work of art in itself, and proper restoration can increase the frame's beauty and value as well as help highlight a great painting.
Alan Barnes restores paintings and frames for W.J. Morrill LTD, a fine art appraisal and restoration company in Dallas, Texas. Here he offers his advice on restoring vintage wooden frames to their former glory:
- Learn the history. If you come across a frame that looks vintage, Barnes recommends learning everything you can about the frame's history. If you have something from the 17th century or before, it may very well be valuable and worth restoring.
- Keep everything. If the frame is broken or in very poor condition, be careful not to misplace anything, and don't throw anything out. You'll want to piece the frame together like a jigsaw puzzle and find out how much original material is left, and how many gaps or holes must be replaced with new material and filling compounds.
- Match colors. You'll probably want your frame to look as much like it once did as is possible, so do your best to match the color of the remaining wood, paint or gold leaf. Craft stores are a good source of paints and leaf, and you can mix colors until you have the best match.
- Wax. Finally, Barnes suggests waxing the entire frame as a way to add a nice color tone and make it look suitable antiqued.
With a little bit of research and tender loving care, you can bring out the beauty in an old frame and restore it to its former glory.
For more information on frame restoration, check out the following organizations and websites:
W.J. Morrill LTD
www.wjmorrill.com/Default.htm
Antique Restorers: Gilding and Art Frame Restoration Archive
antiquerestorers.com/DISCUSSION/goldleaf.html
Eli Wilner & Company: Frame Restoration and Conservation
www.eliwilner.com/contents/article_restore_conserve.cfm
Roger Beaudin: Antique Frame Restoration
www.alan.net/prgfeat/rbflist.html | 
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