Author Topic: Framing quotes and suggestions from professional framers  (Read 2180 times)

Offline ArnieD101

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Framing quotes and suggestions from professional framers
« on: August 28, 2022, 11:49:02 PM »
Hi everyone,

So I've got my fellowship poster and it's authentic by all accounts (yes!), and as mentioned on the other thread, I'm now looking at framing options and am seeking various quotes from reputable framers here in Australia.

At the moment, I've heard back from two.

Based on the key specifications I have gathered from various responses, I made note that:

•   I should use acrylic/plexi glass (with spacers so the poster doesn’t touch the glass)
•   Anti-uv glass or anti-uv perspex (depending on the price)
•   I wouldn’t want it sealed so it’s unopenable as I believe paper pests aren’t something we have in Melbourne?
•   I don’t want it dry mounted as that would tarnish the value completely
•   I’m unsure on whether I’d need “full bleed” or if mat boards are a better option?
•   An acid-free backing board with buffer paper between the poster and backboard
•   No nailing or taping of the poster

Framer 1:

Based on the above points, the framer has advised me that:

1.   An acid free foam core backing should be used as it’s an original movie poster and will prevent the potential acid damage/ discolouration that can occur from the alternative option of MDF.

2.   A spacer should be used to prevent the glass/acrylic from being in direct contact with the poster

3.   Because this poster wouldn’t be glued, the use of a matboard/border is advised to act as a spacer (50mm width by their recommendation, though that is up to personal preference)

4.   A 40mm profile in order to support the weight of the finished piece is suggested due to the size of the poster

5.   The use of either conservation clear acrylic or UV70 anti reflective glass depending on my preference


Pricing (in USD): $658 if going with UV70 anti reflective glass OR $763 if going with clear acrylic

Framer 2:

In line with Framer 1's suggestions, they said their price with UV70 glass would be $610, but they wouldn't advise this glass or conservation clear acrylic as the poster would fade overtime using either of these options.

They proposed (in line Framer 1's suggestions) to use 99% UV reflective glass at $589 OR 99% UV protective, non-reflective glass at $816


Now, my plan was to get a frame for the poster until I went and bought a lightbox, but the lightbox I'm looking at (https://store.snapperdisplay.com.au/products/black-movie-poster-light-boxes) is US339 which is almost half of the framers prices.

What do you all think? Is it worth getting that lightbox instead (I'm not sure if its specs are as conservationary or poster-friendly in the long run) or going with a frame that's 3x the amount of the poster?
« Last Edit: August 28, 2022, 11:50:14 PM by ArnieD101 »

Offline BwanaDik

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Re: Framing quotes and suggestions from professional framers
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2022, 01:48:54 AM »
"I should use acrylic/plexi glass (with spacers so the poster doesn’t touch the glass)" - Poster touching acrylic/perspex is OK, this concerns is only for glass (glass catches humidity and poster will stick to glass with time

Your framer 2 is right, anti-UV acrylic is only 70% and not the best for the sun damage.  Only museum glass 90%+ will do the job but this is the kind of glass used for conservation and it is very expensive.

"I’m unsure on whether I’d need “full bleed” or if mat boards are a better option?" - Full bleed may bring waves with time (gravity, if too tight).  Also with time, you will see a mark at the border of the frame for the part hidden behind the frame.  You will definitely get the same with mat boards, a small degradation all around the poster.   A third option is called "float mounted", it is my preferred choice but not common for movie posters.  it consists of having the posters attached to a foam core board so that it floats in the frame (spacer is a must).


"What do you all think? Is it worth getting that lightbox instead" - The lightbox is definitely not poster conservation friendly. And indeed considering it is half the price, I understand your hesitation.  The frame is not a lightbox though, no lighting :)

a) An option would be to buy a repro and hang it in a cheap frame and keep the original under the bed (don't laugh, some are doing this);
b) If you are sure you will hang your frame in a shaded area, then I won't even bother with anti-UV or go for a lighter (and cheaper) anti-UV protection and hang it and save money.
c) The lightbox has two pros, it has light and it is openable, this is a great choice for people who want to swap posters. 

Cheers
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Offline ArnieD101

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Re: Framing quotes and suggestions from professional framers
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2022, 02:53:43 AM »
"I should use acrylic/plexi glass (with spacers so the poster doesn’t touch the glass)" - Poster touching acrylic/perspex is OK, this concerns is only for glass (glass catches humidity and poster will stick to glass with time

Your framer 2 is right, anti-UV acrylic is only 70% and not the best for the sun damage.  Only museum glass 90%+ will do the job but this is the kind of glass used for conservation and it is very expensive.

"I’m unsure on whether I’d need “full bleed” or if mat boards are a better option?" - Full bleed may bring waves with time (gravity, if too tight).  Also with time, you will see a mark at the border of the frame for the part hidden behind the frame.  You will definitely get the same with mat boards, a small degradation all around the poster.   A third option is called "float mounted", it is my preferred choice but not common for movie posters.  it consists of having the posters attached to a foam core board so that it floats in the frame (spacer is a must).


"What do you all think? Is it worth getting that lightbox instead" - The lightbox is definitely not poster conservation friendly. And indeed considering it is half the price, I understand your hesitation.  The frame is not a lightbox though, no lighting :)

a) An option would be to buy a repro and hang it in a cheap frame and keep the original under the bed (don't laugh, some are doing this);
b) If you are sure you will hang your frame in a shaded area, then I won't even bother with anti-UV or go for a lighter (and cheaper) anti-UV protection and hang it and save money.
c) The lightbox has two pros, it has light and it is openable, this is a great choice for people who want to swap posters. 

Cheers

Thank you again for your response! You sound like you should be in the framing business :)

The room I have my current posters displayed in doesn't get direct sunlight (one side of the room does, but the other side is more shaded) so not going with the anti-UV might be a more cost effective choice.

I haven't heard of "float mounting" before so I might run that by some other framers as well (as I've only gotten quotes from two so far). But will definitely add some sort of mat board if all else.

See, I bought the DS version of the poster for the very fact that I want to put it in a lightbox eventually. Even if I do fork out money on the expensive custom frames, if I choose to resell those frames later, people won't see the same value on them as I might (something I've noticed with marketplace frame listings). So I was sort of hoping getting the poster framed with those specifications for a reasonable price would be a good idea until I can eventually get a light box. But with the prices for those framing specifications, I would almost be too hesitant to ever take the poster out. So a light box seems the wiser choice in this instance given it would get the most out of the poster being DS.

The idea of buying a reprint and putting the original away is a shortcut to my dilemma, but I'd know I'm not looking at the original! My other option I guess is to wait for another DS or SS version of the same poster, and frame one put the other away in storage (now that I know not to overpay lol).

I do love the prospect of having the poster in a lightbox. I don't have a home cinema, but I do have a pretty humble entertainment room. It wouldn't be on all the time and would look cool. I also probably won't ever want to sell the poster as It's not one that I'm necessarily viewing as an investment (I bought it because I love the films and want to have it up). It might have been better to have bought a SS version first that way I wouldn't feel as bad about framing it, but obviously with the DS you get the added bonus of having it look awesome in a light box. Choices, choices, choices....
« Last Edit: August 29, 2022, 02:56:16 AM by ArnieD101 »

Offline Stefano

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Re: Framing quotes and suggestions from professional framers
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2022, 01:02:57 AM »
So many choices, indeed!  Good on you for doing this research. 

First can I say... Yikes!  Custom frame prices look a lot like American college tuition fees, in that they have gone up so disproportionate to inflation.  I remember my first custom frames like 20 years ago.  I had no problem paying for them as a teen with paper route money.  But these days, yikes.  A while ago I took to buying used custom frames in thrift shops, etc, because they're so cheap.  But then you're buying someone else's customizations.  So yea, don't expect to get a lot of re-sale value if you ever decide to part with your custom frame. 

A lot of this stuff comes down to personal preference.  For instance, I simply prefer the look of glass, even though I know glass stores more heat than acrylic (which can accelerate degradation).  I also don't like mattes or spacers, and I know there are some related conservation risks, but they're my posters and I'll enjoy them however I like.  If it's ultra-rare, I'll take extra care, of course.  But as others have mentioned elsewhere, if you get pleasure from looking at it on the wall every day, what's that worth?  Your enjoyment of the piece is what really matters.

You'll always remember your first poster, so I understand you want to take good care of it.  But you have a great point... DS posters were designed specifically so that they'd look good in a lightbox, and that's how a lot of us remember them being displayed when we first looked at these posters in the cinemas.  Sounds like a price advantage, too, although I don't know if there's any extra shipping expense to factor in. 

Whatever you end up doing, feel free to update us.


Offline ArnieD101

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Re: Framing quotes and suggestions from professional framers
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2022, 01:36:03 AM »
So many choices, indeed!  Good on you for doing this research. 

First can I say... Yikes!  Custom frame prices look a lot like American college tuition fees, in that they have gone up so disproportionate to inflation.  I remember my first custom frames like 20 years ago.  I had no problem paying for them as a teen with paper route money.  But these days, yikes.  A while ago I took to buying used custom frames in thrift shops, etc, because they're so cheap.  But then you're buying someone else's customizations.  So yea, don't expect to get a lot of re-sale value if you ever decide to part with your custom frame. 

A lot of this stuff comes down to personal preference.  For instance, I simply prefer the look of glass, even though I know glass stores more heat than acrylic (which can accelerate degradation).  I also don't like mattes or spacers, and I know there are some related conservation risks, but they're my posters and I'll enjoy them however I like.  If it's ultra-rare, I'll take extra care, of course.  But as others have mentioned elsewhere, if you get pleasure from looking at it on the wall every day, what's that worth?  Your enjoyment of the piece is what really matters.

You'll always remember your first poster, so I understand you want to take good care of it.  But you have a great point... DS posters were designed specifically so that they'd look good in a lightbox, and that's how a lot of us remember them being displayed when we first looked at these posters in the cinemas.  Sounds like a price advantage, too, although I don't know if there's any extra shipping expense to factor in. 

Whatever you end up doing, feel free to update us.

Appreciate your response as well Stefano!

The prices for the custom frames are definitely insane. I expected them to be pricey, but not 3x the poster pricey lol

I like your point in that "they're my posters and I'll enjoy them however I like" — it definitely is as simple as that. As I mentioned I could always frame this one and then buy the exact same type of poster and put it away in storage. There is just this part of me that couldn't bear to see the poster degrade overtime while on display and I really don't want to pay that much for a custom frame.

I guess in this instance, it is the lightbox that looks the most appealing. I know the LOTR posters aren't ultra rare so it's no like framing it will be as soul crushing as framing something much much more expensive, and I guess I do really want to see it up in a frame and not locked away or what have you.

I think I might go with the lightbox, but will try and get some more quotes from other reputable framers in Melbourne and see what they say! Who knows, maybe I get a reasonable quote!

Will definitely keep you all posted. This has been a process I've thoroughly enjoyed and learned a lot from (I think I'm also at risk of potentially getting addicted to emovieposter.com!)

Offline Stefano

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Re: Framing quotes and suggestions from professional framers
« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2022, 12:16:03 AM »
No problem!  Framing is one of my favorite topics. 

[...] There is just this part of me that couldn't bear to see the poster degrade overtime while on display and I really don't want to pay that much for a custom frame. [...]

Very well-put.  I know this exact feeling.  But if I have a poster that I never plan to sell, and I'm not worried about any financial return related to condition, well...  I will still love it just as much even if it gets some signs of aging. 

I had a scare about a decade ago, because I noticed some yellowing of one of my framed posters, so I took all my posters out of their frames and packed them away for safe keeping.  It was a bit of a freak-out, and I was so anxious to leave them in the frame knowing that they might further degrade.  Well, in hindsight, nobody else visiting my place would ever have noticed or cared that a vintage poster was showing slight signs of aging.  And while I was "protecting" my beloved posters, they were hidden away, not to be seen or enjoyed by the person who loved them the most.  Some collectors on here don't display their posters at all, and I totally respect that choice, too.  This is just how my own perspective has evolved in my personal collecting journey. 

I've never had a lightbox, but they're popular among some collectors, and I can certainly see why. 

Yea, price is going to be a factor with any custom framing project.  You're paying for someone's labor and raw materials (all of which are going up in price these days).  They use specialized skills like cutting glass to size (or hiring that out).  All pricey.  You probably already know this, but I thought I'd mention...  In the US anyway, 27 x 40 is a very common frame size.  Here you can find cheap frames this size ready-made on store shelves.  Of course, most are terrible quality - cheap plastic that might be warped, with acidic cardboard backing.  Definitely not archival, nor friendly to rare, vintage posters.  However... people do buy them, presumably to display cheap posters and whatnot.  I only mention this to help contextualize price ranges.  Cheap poster frames are available, but you get what you pay for (actually, with those cheap frames, you are probably still getting ripped off, because they're terrible and cost about $2 to make).  If you go with the professionals, you can rest a lot easier knowing that your poster is better protected, but the cost is painful.  But there might be some middle ground.  I know some people have recommended a site called americanframe.com.  It would be cost-prohibitive to you to ship to Australia, but their business model is that they ship you the frame elements, cut to size, and you assemble it yourself.  So it's good quality, but they can offer it a little cheaper than a custom frame shop.  I wonder if you have anything like that in Australia?  Just something to think about.

Offline 50s

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Re: Framing quotes and suggestions from professional framers
« Reply #6 on: September 01, 2022, 10:02:13 PM »
I contacted americanframe.com but they unfortunately only ship to US and Canada.

Offline BwanaDik

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Re: Framing quotes and suggestions from professional framers
« Reply #7 on: September 05, 2022, 01:45:16 AM »
The only one I found in Europe doing custom elegant snapframe (not the rounded aluminium you get in toilets of petrol station :) ) is https://www.kliklijststore.nl/
Never dealt with them though.... but you can always ask if they ship internationally.
Crucifixion? Good. Out of the door, line on the left, one cross each.