Round Image Victorian Frame

This round aperture Victorian Louis XV Rococo revival frame came in recently for some restoration work.

18th Century Style Carved Frame

Antique Frame Styles

Good quality 20th C carved repro straight sided Louis XV frame. 

19/20th C Barbizon frame with an inexpensive metal leaf refinish.

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

Here are a few frames I liked on a recent visit to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Last time I went a couple of the rooms were closed, and they now have a new Baroque gallery display. The post about my previous visit (here) complained about the lack of anti-reflective glass and this is still a nuisance on many of the paintings, and for me negatively effects the viewing of the paintings.

Before and After

Here are some before and after photos of this fantastic swept frame, a really exceptional example of a late 19th Century Louis XV Rococo revival frame, probably French made. The frame was from my stock, although the restoration work was done by another restorer/framer as it needed doing quickly and I could not fit it in my current heavy workload. In the photos the restored frame looks very bright, this is more to do with the light when I took the photos, in reality the frame looks like it is in excellent original condition with natural wear and antique patina, although the gilding has cleaned up very well too.

Big Swept Frame

A very ornate, 9" wide antique swept frame from the 19th Century.

Fancy Compo Corners

Another example of a large composition 19th Century frame, this one has a rebate size of 55" x 40" and would make a super mirror.

Matching Pair of Antique Frames

Antique paintings often come in pairs, although it can sometimes be a real challenge to find a matching pair of original antique frames that are a suitable size and style for a pair of paintings. Of course good reproduction frames can be made, but they are not the same as period frames. These two 19th Century Rococo revival swept frames are a perfect size and style for a pair of paintings that we have been searching for the right frames for. They clearly need a lot of work but it is unlikely another pair of the right size will come along for years.

19th Century Swept Frame

A classic example of a Victorian Rococo revival of Louis XV swept frame styles.

Antique Rococo style frame