Brown core mount board

[Globart]

I'm fairly new to framing and have been given a signed Lowry print to re-mount. It has to match the existing now rather manky double mount which consists of a pale blue outer and dark blue inner. No problem with that except that both have a brown/gold core and I haven't so far been able to find a manufacture/supplier. Does anyone know if this is still something which is made and if so, where I might be able to obtain it or is it all white core these days? Any help gratefully received.

[YPF]

I've not seen any mountboard with brown/gold core. How about painting the bevel yourself to the required colour. If you search for painted bevels on the Forum it should turn up one of the experts 'how to..'.

Rgeards,

Steve

[Graysalchemy]

The brown / gold core that you are talking about is due to the acidity of old poor quality mountboard, prior to the days of whitecore or conservation mountboards.

What you need to be doing is frame it to a conservation standard using conservation or museum quality mountboard. Lowery prints usually have a high value and should not be in poor quality mounts.

Sorry I don't have any sugestion with regards to the colour but I sure someone with far more experience of conservation framing will be along shortly to advise.



AG

[markw]

The colouring of the core on mountboard is an indication of its poor quality - Most of the cheap cream core boards will go this colour given a little time.

Its a sad fact that customers often ask that they have a mount that matches the brown core that all their other pictures have - education time, give them a brief summary of why you dont use such poor quality mountboard (or if you do use such poor quality mountboard - tell them it will soon match). If your customer insists that they want a cream core then offer to paint it. ( use low tack tape to mask the top of the board - apply to the area to be cut before cutting to give you a nice clean edge after cutting- paint with appropriate colour). Some old prints can look rather odd with a bright white core - this technique can be used to just dull it down a bit.

Agree with Graysalchemy - A signed Lowry print will be valuable and I would recommend mounting to a fairly high standard. I would also add that learning to frame on customers work isnt a great way to start - I would advise that you get some training - read some books etc. You are asking a question about a material that as a framer you should have some basic knowledge.

[prospero]

Some of the older mountboard was extremely acidic. It's a similar process to the way and apple core will go brown once exposed to the air. I'm betting that if you lift the mount, there will be a distinct brownish shadow were the edge of the mount was. This is acid from the mount migrating into the print.
The more recent "Standard" boards are better because in the 80's manufacturers became more 'conservation aware' and started adding stuff to neutralise the acid. So modern std boards don't go quite so brown so quickly. But on something like this you really need the top quality conservation grade mountboard. A bit like locking the stable door, but......
Of course you then have the pristine white bevels, which it has to be said, can look very out of place on antiquarian prints. But I think if you used it on this particular print, white bevels would look fine, especially as the boards are blueish shades. Nothing looks more manky than orange bevels on blue/grey boards.

[prospero]

Framers Anecdote. (all true)

I once reframed Lowry print. The original frame was in very poor state. Drooping to pieces in fact. It had a thick hardboard back. After I had done it, someone asked me if I had an odd bit of hardboard kicking about. I gave them the back board. They asked if I wanted anything for it. I replied - "No. You can have it for nowt....."




"It fell off the back of a Lowry"

[Graysalchemy]

I always keep the packaging that I get from some of our more 'collectable' artists one in particular is beautifully hand written sometimes with comments, they will be collectable one day. I'm also trying to get some of his empty tubes of paint to frame up .

[Jonny2morsos]

Some of the older mountboard was extremely acidic. It's a similar process to the way and apple core will go brown once exposed to the air. I'm betting that if you lift the mount, there will be a distinct brownish shadow were the edge of the mount was. This is acid from the mount migrating into the print..

Chances are the above will apply and it would be worth showing to your customer. This will allow you to explain the benefits of conservation/solidcore/museum mountboards and the latter two will be the same colour throughout so if you go for a muted colour there will be no white bevel.

If you don't have samples to show get your supplier to provide you with some.

Don't forget when you remount the print to use an undermount of the same quality board and hinge in the correct manner.

[Gesso&Bole]

Hi Globart

The contributors above have covered this one pretty succinctly, but I would make a general comment.

You are usually on a loser as soon as you agree to 'match the existing . . .' whether it is moulding or mountboard. If it is moulding, and you CAN actually find the pattern still being made, the colour/batch will be different, and if it is mountboard (as discovered above) the chances are the original is no longer available, and even if it was, the original mountboard will have faded.

My advice - match the two exactly by framing them both to the same spec, or frame them totally independently of each other.

[Globart]

Many thanks to all who have put me straight on that and matter and I now feel a bit foolish for not knowing it wasn't deliberate! Actually the gold/brown edge complements colours in the print very well so I thought it must have been planned. However, it's obviously a happy accident! A white edge will be too harsh for the picture so will try colouring it. I was in the London art trade for many years and do know the value of a signed Lowry print so please be assured that I will use only the best conservation boards. While on the subject, which is the best? Many thanks too for for the anecdote, which I'm sure is true, regarding the back board which fell of the back of a Lowry. Made my day.........!

[Nigel Nobody]

While on the subject, which is the best? Many thanks too for for the anecdote, which I'm sure is true, regarding the back board which fell of the back of a Lowry. Made my day.........!

There are a number of solid colours in the Alpharag range. As Johnny suggested they have the core and the surface in the same colour. Other brands may have the same, but my personal preference is Bainbridge, because of the 'Artcare' feature. Zeolytes contained in Artcare mats have a number of benefits.
Benefits are listed at the bottom of this page: http://www.megawood.com.au/mat_website/ ... atures.htm

[Roboframer]

There are now solid colours in the alphamat (non-cotton) artcare range as well and there has always been a small number of colours that come with a cream core for this very reason, to look old.

You could always reverse the bevel too. To learn about all this and more, go to the directory in the sidebar and see who does training closest to you.

PS - it's me

[sim.on]

I don't do anything in the way of mount decoration but I'm always painting bevels (an idea I got off this site). This is one of my sample frames with a triple black mount. Type in 'Scotch magic tape' or 'Scotch 811' and you'll see how it's done.