Suggestions on how to frame James Creighton piece from Leslies?

[mouschi]

I have the 1865 issue featuring James Creighton and Henry Chadwick - I'd love to get it framed, but am not quite sure where to start!

It measures appx. 22" wide with a little more than 3/4" borders
and a little more than 15 3/4" top to bottom (i think a bit more than 1/2" borders top to bottom)

I also would like to get the whole thing framed in total, because it seems to brittle, I would be afraid of ripping something if I pulled out the 150+ year old page. Any help / suggestions / etc. greatly appreciated ... I want this to look as beautiful as possible on my wall, thanks!

[benjulmag]

Before you do anything I recommend you consult with a conservator. Likely he/she will advise treatment of some sort (e.g., deacidification) the purpose of which will be to preserve what you have. If there are tears or other condition issues, you will have the option to decide whether to treat as well.

After the item has been treated, the conservator can recommend ways to frame it. One popular option is to frame the page showing the baseball woodcuts (which the conservator can remove from the issue) and place the remainder of the issue in a conservation-appropriate (e.g., mylar) sleeve affixed to the back of the frame. When framing, you will not want the glass to be in contact with the woodcut. You can accomplish this by either encapsulating the woodcut in a mylar sleeve, or having a conservation-appropriate mount at the edges (which will be the contact point with the glass). I would recommend the latter as IMO it will present better. I would also recommend using a glass that absorbs UV radiation. Finally, for optimal presentation, you can use glare-resistant glass. Such glass is more expensive, but if it fits within your budget is worth considering.

BTW, congrats on owning such a piece! IMO it is the single most important 19th century baseball woodcut known, and tremendously undervalued.

[aquarius31]

What Corey said is spot on. A conservator will need to dehumidify your print (especially if it’s that brittle) in order to make it more pliable/flattened before it is framed. Surface cleaning along with acid free backing may also be necessary with tear repairs being optional. Depending on the condition, you can expect to pay a few hundred to several hundred dollars +. It’s the one thing you learn about 19th century prints. In some instances (or many in my case), you end up paying more for conservation than you do for the actual item. That said, it’s well worth it so you can enjoy it for years to come while limiting further damage.


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[BruceinGa]

I agree with the above posts. Using spacers between the mat and glass is a must. Sometimes the thickness of the mat or mats is enough to separate the glass from your piece but you may decide not to use the traditional mat. There is a reflection control glass that greatly reduces uv rays.
I would check with a large, well known framer. They should be able to steer you towards a conservator.
Don't forget to post a pic once you get it framed.

[mouschi]

Thank you everyone! I appreciate Net54 and its members so much for this sort of help.

[darwinbulldog]

Bought mine already framed, so not sure of the details, but it looks like this.

[mouschi]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

Bought mine already framed, so not sure of the details, but it looks like this.

Nice! And colored!