Why Archival Matters - Part 1

Precious family treasures like Grammy’s Christening Gown, Great Auntie’s Sampler or Grandad’s Medals seem to be appreciated more in these trying times. While we are putting greater value on the links to our past, we realize that we need to preserve these heirlooms for the generations to come. To take the guess work out of that process, we need to know some simple things about protection.

First, you want to learn anything you can about the object: who made it, when, any interesting story that relates to the object, where it fits in historically, if that applies. For example, a 2nd cousin wrote down the story of how a 1st paycheck from the phone company at the St. Louis Worlds’ Fair ended up inside a goat. She illustrated the story with a photo of a 1900’s Switchboard, a Fair Program and a photo of the goat with our great grandfather. So remember to label paper times with a soft pencil. Then you should scan the photo. Take photos of bulky items and store them on CDs. If you make a few extras, relatives can store them too.

Secondly, purchase an inexpensive light meter and hydrometer, to check humidity and the amount of light. Store those treasures away from direct sunlight and in an environment between 40 – 50 % humidity, at 68 degrees. Books within those light and humidity guidelines can be stored on shelving if given generous space. Squeezing too many books in too small a space, can damage the book spines. Avoid basements, attics or outside walls. Use acid-free mats, backboards, acid-free albums and boxes.

Every six months, examine your heirlooms for holes and sawdust. Wear cotton gloves or handle as little as possible with clean hands. Never store your treasures in wooden chests, because the sap they exude can stain and spoil. Never store in plastic drycleaner's bags because they trap moisture. Remove all pins, paper clips and staples, to avoid rust. These Archival tips matter because your family’s story should be preserved. It matters to your generation and the ones to come.

-Kathryn

Frame Enhancement

Last time I blogged, I was learning about preservation of work. Now I’ve learned about the choices that have to be made, to get the optimum appearance for your art.



Jim our resident framer, meets clients over his consulting table, to choose the type of glass, the matts (and how many), the molding (which we typically think of as the frame), the fillet or other specialized applications (more on that later).



Glass is just glass, right? Surprisingly, besides regular picture glass, there’s uv clear, uv non-glare types. (Plexiglas comes in uv clear and uv non glare too.) Then there’s museum glass which pulls you eye right into the artwork.


Matt choices enhance a piece of art through different texture (like suede, print…) or color (maybe a contrasting color on the bevel, which is the edge of the mat). Multi mats can be staggered over each other to bring out the colors in the art.


Another specialized application, the fillet can add depth to a work. It is a thin bead metal that rests between the image and the other layers, or matts. Think of fillet as a mini frame within the frame, as it is very thin.



If a piece has various sized items that need to be displayed, Jim can create a shadow box effect by building windows with in the matts. This particular application is good with family heirlooms and personal treasures.


Another specialized option is aptly called, “floating” an item. This is great for displaying team jerseys and memorabilia. Recently a customer had Jim create a frame for his girlfriend with a window for tickets, a double matt of the play’s program and float a prop newspaper headline from the play.


We at Sam’s were impressed with the customer’s choices and thoughtfulness towards his girlfriend and her gift. But not nearly as impressed as SHE WAS when he presented his framed memory to her.

-Kathryn

Preservation & Framing

Protecting Heirlooms

Recently I had the pleasure of watching Jim our custom art framer work on an antique frame. I mention it because it was unusual. It had a pieced wood frame - forming an oblong octagon. Another unusual feature: over the cherished hand tinted family photograph was the convex glass, that Jim gave a polish.

Jim explained that along with enhancing valuable pieces of art, framing is for protecting heirlooms. Jim uses archival conservation material – which are acid free, to prevent the dustcover (backing) from eating away the photograph over time. So when Jim sends a piece out he says, “Barring household accidents & acts of nature, bring it back in a hundred years, for a refit!”

-Kathryn