A few frames seen in Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. 17th and 18th Century frames that have been used on works by Renoir, Sisley, Pissarro, and Degas.
Wednesday
Distressed Gold
Both of these frames are gilded with 23.5ct gold, the one on the left on red bole, the one on the right is on black bole. The bole colour has a distinct effect on the colour and appearance of the gold leaf.
These two are both 12xt white gold, one on red and the other on brown bole.
Friday
Thursday
Early 19th C Frame
This early 19th Century Regency frame had numerous losses to the composition ornament, and was also very dirty.
Carved Cassetta Frame
A lovely 19th Century revival carved copy of an Italian 16th? C cassetta frame.
Gesso Frames
Making up a batch of gesso, which will keep in the fridge for a week or so. In England gesso is traditionally made from whiting (calcium carbonate) and rabbit skin glue (animal hide type adhesive) other fillers such as gypsum - calcium sulphate, and adhesives such as parchment size and gelatin can also be used. There are also a number of non-traditional recipes, but in my opinion the best material for creating a smooth surface on frames is whiting and RSG. It is such a simple material to make and work with, and is very versatile.
Gesso coated frames drying, only a couple of coats were needed to fill the wood grain on these two frames as they were finished with paint and bronze powder gilding.
A gesso frame with low relief pastiglia stars (pastiglia decoration is made from building up layers of gesso)
A very wide frame profile which had 5 coats of gesso applied, totally filling the wood grain, covering the corner mitres, and providing a very smooth surface for gilding.
Freshly sprayed on gesso, this is just one coat.
Small frame with heavily textured gesso surface, created by using a brush and just by applying gesso thickly and unevenly, this frame had about 6 coats of gesso.
Wednesday
Gesso Wash Frame
A really simple frame finish, with a couple of coats of gesso, two paint colours, a paint wash, and finally a coat of wax.
Saturday
Water Gilding
A load of frames that are ready to be water gilded. Sixteen are for a gallery and two others for individual privat orders. Four frames will be gilded in 23.5ct gold, one in 22ct moon gold, and thirteen in 12ct white gold.
Friday
Window Frames
Here is another example of frames used on the high street in window displays... A previous post is here: Frames in Retail Displays
Roseberys London Auction
Roseberys London auction house continues to establish their place as the destination to buy antique frames at auction, with 200 lots in their 1st December 2015 sale. Frame lots start at number 400:
White Cassetta Frame
A corner sample of a tray type cassetta frame, finished in white, a style that is sometimes referred to as a St. Ives frame. As a guide to prices, a frame like this sample to fit a 12" x 12" painting costs around £25 in materials charged, and the same in labour and overheads, with VAT the total cost is £60
Sketch Book
My lovely wife bought me this little sketch book at the weekend, it has lots of frames which can be filled with doodles and sketches, as well as plinths, cabinets and other museum display areas that can be filled with drawings. What a great little book!
Saturday
Parcel Gilded Frame
On this frame only the inner section is coated in gesso, bole, and then water gilded in 22ct moon gold on grey bole. The rest of the frame will be painted directly on the wood grain.