Best way to frame an invaluable Autograph(?)

[KingRichard76]

This topic does exactly what it says on the tin, a few years ago I was lucky enough to get an 11x16 numbered picture signed by my favourite actor and since then its been in the cellophane wrapper with the bit of cardboard to keep it somewhat sturdy.

 

I've now been thinking about getting a good frame for it, and also looking at areas in my apartment that wont get any sun that could damage it that way.

 

Part of me is thinking of getting this framed professionally but I guess that will cost me an arm and a leg, I just want to make sure the actual signature isn't touching the glass at all (is there any specific type of glass thats better than others?) I did find a frame today but instead of glass it was plastic.

 

This will be the first time I've framed an Autograph (I normally stick my 10x8s into a folder- carefully) and I admit I want to give this particular Autograph the best care I can.

 

Any recommendations?

 

Gracias.

[Count Fooku]

I have a 12x16 photo signed by Buzz Aldrin which takes pride of place on one of my walls but I did get concerned about the potential for sunlight to damage the signature. To get round it, I took it to a local Snappy Snaps where they were able to do me a good quality 16x12 scan of the picture which I was then able to frame without worrying about sun damage. I now do the same with all my astronaut signed 10x8s now and in the majority of cases you can hardly tell the difference between the copy and the original.

[GoldenGreen]

You can get special glass , but it will be quite expensive, however worth the investment to protect your autograph if you want to have it on display. Personally, I tend to keep my originals safe and take a copy to put on display, so I get to see them but don't need to worry if over time the copy fades.

[KingRichard76]

Some very good suggestions, personally the way I'm looking at it now is getting the picture copied so it can be on display and keep the original safe, it would be nice to have Harrisons signature on my wall but the fact its been nowhere near sunlight in almost two years says a lot.

[gobo1979uk]

lot of factors here.

 

first of all it depends what medium the signature is in..... pen will fade quite badly in sunlight, particularly on paper. pen n photo may also stick to the glass if it touches it and has any pressure on it (worse if it's a metallic pen). Pencil shouldn't fade much (pencil drawings by leonardo da vinci show little change in the pencil after 500+ years).

 

secondly the medium the signature is on...paper will be at rick of attack from insects so the frame should be sealed will on the back with tape, it will also be prone to foxing particularly in damp. paper will also need to be protected from other acidic papers - mount board in frame shoudld be acid-free or be covered with a layer of acidfree card/paper. photos will fade more in sunlight but arent prone to attack from insects or acid.

 

there is a good website called eframe who make custom frames - i would check them out also (im not afficiated with the company)

[18blue78]

If you are going to frame something important to you, whether it's sentimental or financial, it makes sense to have it done professionally even if that means paying a lot.

 

Firstly do some research. There is a guild of framers who's members are experts at what they do.

Also ask around. Are there any galleries or art dealers near you? They should be able it point you in the direction of a good local framer.

 

Once you have picked a framer you like go & talk with them so you are sure they know exactly what you want.

Be sure they mount your item before framing it. Not only will it look better but it will keep the item away from the glass. A good framer will use acid-free mounting card.

You can also get UV filtering glass. It can be quite expensive but will help protect your prized item from light damage.

And as already mentioned you need to make sure the frame is sealed at the rear. Again this should be done with acid-free art tape.

 

The suggestions about making a copy & displaying that are something you should consider. I know a lot of museums do this with items that need protecting.

[Sorock]

I keep my autos in a folder stored away i take good quality scans of all my stuff then i will have them on display via a digital photo frame which changes what's on show randomly.

[007 spells Bond]

Digital photo frame is a good idea.......might frame some large photos and hang them for a while but the rest I can just do copies of.