Paper and photographs

Works on paper are often mounted in the Studio after treatment in order to both enhance their appearance, and to protect them within a frame, or when handled.

We use the best quality acid free buffered mount board, and attach the works with archival papers and adhesives.

If a conserved work needs a new frame clients can choose to take the mounted work to a framer themselves to choose a moulding, feeling confident that the work itself does not need to be handled again. Alternatively we can liaise with our framer 'Framework', who is able to supply a very wide range of mouldings, or even adapt a moulding to match another frame. The framer is also able to supply us with UV barrier, non-reflective glass to provide the best protection for a picture.

Often we can reuse the original frame the work was in. We can undertake simple frame restoration, or modifications as needed. We can work with a frame conservator colleague if more involved restoration is required.

Mounting 175 old master prints

175 old master prints from the Scott Raphael collection at the Hunterian Art Gallery were treated at the Studio to improve their condition and their appearance.  Each print then needed to be mounted.

As the prints are from an academic collection we needed to mount each work with the whole print visible (no edges covered by a window mount) and also so that the back of the print could be seen.  We created an ‘inlay’ for each print: an aperture just smaller than the print was cut from a sheet of good quality paper, and the print was attached over the aperture using a series of hidden tabs of Japanese paper pulled through slots in the inlay paper. The inlaid prints were mounted in rag board window mounts and stored in Solander boxes.

1 inlaying prints
Inlaying the prints
2 Inlayed prints and consulting with Curator prior to mouting
Consulting with the Curator; inlaid prints in the foreground
3 Measuring for window apertures
Measuring the prints for window mount apertures
4 Final checks on the mounted prints
Final checks on the mounted prints before placing them in Solander boxes