Moat frame

[Teresa]

I have a customer that wants a moat frame. I've seen one but have no idea how to make one. any advice would be appreciated. the picture is 6"x 9" I also have no idea how to price it.
Thank you

[JFeig]

What type of art are you planning to frame? With or without glazing?

I have not seen one of those in at least 25 years. It"s a frame within a frame. Make the smaller frame and attach it to a rigid backer that has another frame around the backer. The inner frame can either be nailed or screwed to the rigid backer. The backer can either be covered with fabric or painted. I would not recommend the backer be covered with mountboard as it can't be cleaned.

[Not your average framer]

Moat frames are quite common around St Ives and Newlyn.

[JFeig]

Thanks, Mark.

[joh5nny]

I'm not sure if I've understood correctly, but this might be what you're looking for:-

https://www.arqadia.co.uk/supplyimages/ ... eaflet.pdf

[prospero]

Interesting.....

Never heard that term before. Seems to be a variation of the traditional "Cassetta" pattern. That is a flat bit edged with
complimentary smaller mouldings. I make them all the time, but always hand-finish them. You can make them with factory
mouldings but it's tricky finding three elements that match. The inner/outer mouldings really need the same finish, but not
the always the same shape.

It's an excellent system for making 'generous' frames maybe 4 "+. And the good thing is that the proportions can be varied to the nth degree.

They seen to be the 'thing' at the moment and go with the contemporary taste in art.

[Not your average framer]

I'm not sure if I've understood correctly, but this might be what you're looking for:-]

Yes, but the guys down in Cornwall do it with much cheaper mouldings than those which you have shown. Many Cornish artists have to manage on quite a tight budget and improvise to save money, there is often a strong focus on saving money in framing styles originating from Cornwall. Very often the panel between the inner and outer mouldings is just a plain panel, which continues right across the rear of the inner frame and the inner frame is secured to the panel with screws through the panel from behind.

There's nothing sophisticated about these frames, in fact many are produced by the artists themselves using basic joinery and are simply hand painted with basic white emulsion paint. Outsiders with an interest in the Cornish art scene tend to think that these frames are something more special than that and are an authentic requirement for framing the work of St Ives and Newlyn based artists. I have customers from time to time who want their Cornish artworks framed to match other artworks already framed in this style.

[poliopete]

Teresa, what a fascinating and very timely thread

I was, very reluctantly, about to burn a quantity of R&H fillets and spacer off-cuts, and I hate to waste anything. But after seeing joh5nny link, I can see these will be ideal for constructing the offset moulding for smallish Moat frames. I would not have thought of that and, I too had never heard this term before.

I can't wait for this seasonal rush to be over and get started on making some of these frames. I will hand finish in an off-white as prospero suggests and will be looking out for some suitable images.

Once again many thanks and good luck.

Peter.

[Not your average framer]

Hello Peter,

That's an interesting idea and also leaves you some scope to do a few variations at the same time, maybe a few deep box frames using the same off cuts of spacers at the same time. I usually tend to think that being able to offer customers things that are not only different, but also desirable at the same time is a particularly good formula and it sounds to me like this might just tick the right boxes.

If customers saw frames of this sort of style in the usual big stores, they would probably sell like hot cakes. It's quite a contemporary and trendy look. Perhaps this is a good time to steal a march on big stores for once. Like you I have to make some decisions about a bit of surplus stock and having moved into new premises, various off cuts and older stock does not necessarily fit my plans for the future, so I giving your idea some serious thought.

I find that ready made frames are a bit like bananas and go in bunches. It can take me a while to shift them sometimes, but then there are times when they almost fly out of the shop and since I will soon need some interested shop window fillers, this idea could be just the job. Thanks for the idea, I hope you don't mind me borrowing your idea.

Mark