How to frame ambrotypes

[teapot]

Hi there,
I've had a costumer come in enquiring about framing a number of ambrotypes which I hadn't heard of before but are apparently oblong shaped glass photographs. Does anybody have any suggestions on how to go about framing these? I was thinking perhaps finding little hooks to hold them in place. Not sure, any suggestions would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Tessa

[prospero]

Never seen one.

Are those the ones with the metal-wrapped edges? easy enough if you can cover the edges. You could cut the same shape in suitable thickness foamcore so they are a press fit. This should cushion them from external shocks and hold them firmly. But you have to put a mount on top of enough overlap to hold them down.

To 'float' them you really are going to need some mechanical fixings. Maybe the bendy mirror plates from Lion could be adapted so the tongue part neatly curves around the edge. Shouldn't look too obtrusive as you only need a little bit showing and they are metal edges to start with. You could tone the bright brass on the fixings to blend in. Have to be careful that any screw heads don't bear on the back. A sheet of thin foamcore between should isolate the back.

Just a thought..... No doubt someone will have a better idea.

[pramsay13]

I haven't heard of these before but according to wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambrotype ambrotype is the photography method, making a positive image on a sheet of glass, with another sheet of glass over it. It was usually encased in a metal frame.
It will probably depend if it is still in the metal frame and you have to frame the whole thing, or if it is just the glass pieces that need framed. If it is glass pieces you could just frame it as normal, probably with an oval mount cut to replicate the normal visual effect.
If it is in the frame it could be done like this:

This is an antique frame that I was asked to reframe in a modern frame. I simply used canvas offsets to hold it in place and it looked quite effective.

[Not your average framer]

Abrotypes were produced on glass coated with a mixture of silver nitrate and collodion to produce a negative, which was viewed as a positive when a black backing was placed behind the image.

Some abrotype prints may have been hand tinted. Process is quoted as used from about 1847 to 1880. Strangely enough to same book says that the process was invented in 1852?

Mounting advice from Framing photography by Allan Lamb:

Use unbuffered cotton rag if abrotype is in leather case, alternately use buffered, or unbuffered cotton rag if it is loose. The book says that UV glazing is recommended.

I only know this from reading the book!

I hope that this helps.

[teapot]

Thanks for the tips and thoughts, I will probably have to get them to bring them in and have a look at them then it might become clearer what to do!