Oak Wedge

A very simple but lovely 19th century frame, a sloped/wedge profile oak frame with gilded finish.

Cherry and Oak

These two little oak frames have had an extension put on the back to make them into deeper box frames.

A frame made from cherry wood.

Wide Oak Frame

This wide oak frame is one of a few samples we are making at the moment. This cassetta profile is 4" wide and is made up from three sections. The finish is stain, shellac, and wax.

Stained Oak

A stained oak frame that has a gilded sight edge which is 23.5ct gold leaf.

Gilt Oak Rossetti Frame

This is a really super example of a 19th Century Pre-Raphaelite frame, called a Rossetti frame after the artist. It was made by W.A. Smith who made frames for many of the leading artists of the late 19th Century. A simple design but one of my favoutite styles of antique frames.

Carved Oak Frame

A nice example of a 19th Century carved oak Pre-Raphaelite type frame, with the gilding applied directly on the open wood grain. 

Oxford Frames

Here is a good selection of antique Oxford frames, the description for this type of frames being:

'A picture-frame the sides of which cross each other and project some distance at the corners' - (Oxford English Dictionary).

An in depth article about these 19th Century frames can be found on the National Portrait Gallery website: Oxford Frames by Jacob Simon.

Gold Watts Frame

Watts frame

A reproduction Watts frame that I am working on at the moment, next it will be painted with bole, and then gilded with 23.5ct gold leaf. The wood grain of the central oak flat is typical of Watts style frames.

Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery

We went to Birmingham today and visited the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. My third visit to the gallery, I always like looking at the Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite paintings and frames, many of which are artist designed and far superior to most Victorian frames. I especially like the frames on Joseph Edward Southall paintings, many are boldly carved, Italianate looking and were gilded by his wife, Anne Elizabeth Baker (Southall). They really stand out among the more mass produced Victorian compo frames.

As a picture framer, but also as a viewing member of the public, I am amazed at how many paintings in the gallery are framed with standard float glass and not anti-reflective 'museum' glass. There were only a handful framed with museum glass, and after pointing out the difference to my wife, she became aware of how standard glass really inhibits and spoils the viewing of the paintings. I am surprised that the transition to museum glass has not happened yet, in the public gallery of one of the largest cities in England.

The Last Chapter by Robert Braithwaite Martineau

This painting is glazed with anti-reflective museum glass, the shine at the top is from the paint varnish.

The Lost Child by Arthur Hughes
Another painting that is glazed with anti-reflective museum glass, again the shine at the top is from the paint surface and not the glass.

Beata Beatrix by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

A very poor photo, but it clearly illustrates the reflections caused, you can see Mrs Framemaker and I, light sources, and everything else behind us.

The Wizard by Edward Burne-Jones

The darker a painting is, the worse the reflections, and 'mirror effect'. This is glazed with standard glass and it is almost impossible to appreciate the painting.

 Self Portrait by William Holman Hunt

Portrait of Dante Gabriel Rossetti by William Holman Hunt 

 A Lady Holding a Rose by Emma Sandys

The Finding of the Saviour in the Temple by William Holman Hunt   

May Morning on Magdalen College Tower by William Holman Hunt 

The Wild Swans by Arthur Gaskin 

The Sleeping Beauty by Joseph Edward Southall 

Sigismonda Drinking the Poison by Jospeh Edward Southall 

Melody (Musica) by Kate Elizabeth Bunce

Sir Whitworth Wallis by Joseph Edward Southall

Black oak

An oak miniature frame which has a black stain finish and shellac sealer, it will be waxed and polished.

Striped back

This antique 19th Century frame had lots of layers of over-painting and modern gilding. It has been stripped right back and will be re-gilded. It is a Victorian neoclassical profile with oak veneer flat.

Oak frame with aluminium dovetail key

2 restored antique frames

19th Century oak

A 19th Century gilded oak frame, lovely original finish, an understated looking but great period frame which is often called a 'Whistler' frame after the artist.

Oak and composition

This pair of 19th Century oak and composition frames had been overpainted, which was removed, and had some losses that needed to be replaced. Once this work was done the frames were given a size coat of glue, and were then painted all over in yellow bole and pink bole.

Custom oak profile

This oak frame profile was machined to order, it is based on an early 20th Century original example frame.

Simple oak finish

These photos show the various stages in a simple stained oak finish. My method is to cut and join the frame first, I then give it a very good sand to remove any machine cutting marks, round the edges, and make the mitres nice and flush. I then apply a coat of water based stain. Some people stain the lengths first before joining, but I prefer to stain after joining so I can get the corners perfect, especially with oak which can sometimes be a little tricky to join together. I don't find any problems with stain brush marks or overlaps at the corners. The next stage is a coat of shellac sanding sealer, this is given a rub over with 0000 wire wool, then a coat of medium brown wax, lastly the frame is given a good polish.

Step-by-step photos, taken on my phone which is not the best camera.