AboutSara Tro Expertise I am a professional custom picture framer and designer. I have experience in all areas of
picture framing, and own my own custom framing shop. I can answer questions relating
to the design of a piece, the preservation of the artwork, color theory, photograph
restoration, decor, art placement, room balancing and installation questions.
Experience I have owned my own retail custom frame shop for 5 years, and managed a high-end shop before that for 5.5 years. I worked for a professional restorer and archivist for 8 months prior to the management position. I am also a fine artist myself, with a BFA in Photography and Printmaking, and have been framing my own work for years and years.
Education/Credentials BFA Fine Arts, NYSCC at Alfred University, NY
Expert: Sara Tro Date: 3/13/2008 Subject: Re: Restoring silk art piece
Question My father brought back a silk embroidered piece from Japan during WWII. It is dirty and needs to be reframed. Two questions. How or where could I have this cleaned? ALso, it needs to be archivally framed. Where do I have this done? Is this something you do? Any information would be helpful. Thank you so much for your time.
Lisa
Answer hi lisa!
thanks for the question! What a cool piece you have to work on!
So, in having the silk cleaned, I would start by calling a museum in your area and asking if they have a textile restorer that they use. Museums often need the services of textile folks, and they work with people who are reputable and professional. Many art restorers do not work on textiles, or shouldn't, so a person who focuses solely on fabrics would be your best bet. Silk is fragile, and if its been hand-dyed it needs special care. If the museum turns up nothing, call a reputable art restoration place in your area and ask for a referral. (If the restorers say they can do it, ask for portfolio photos, before and after, and how many fabrics they've worked on! Get a second opinion too.. You don't want someone ruining your antique keepsake. Make sure you tell them the value, monetarily, (you may need an appraisal if its actually worth money), and make sure they have insurance! ( this may sound paranoid, but there are hacks out there that I've seen ruin artwork, so make sure they have a good rep.))
As for the framing if the piece, I'd find a local, reputable framer working with archival methods only. (I do this kind of work, but I'm in Seattle.. If you are too, come on by! Trofeo is the name of my shop)
make sure the framer uses no adhesive on the silk, and most likely will hand stitch the fabric to an archival backing. Uv filtering glass is necessary, and you may consider using museum glass or museum plexiglas. The museum glass will get rid of almost all the glare, and enhance the viewing of the piece in that you will be able to see the stitches and handwork better. Plexiglas will cut down on any moisture that the piece will trap, especially if you live in a place where the temp fluctuates or if the piece will hang on an "exterior" wall in your home. (this is a wall whose other side faces the outdoors, instead of another room in your home). That said, I would hang the piece out of direct sunlight, on an interior wall (like a hallway wall), and make sure the framer uses shadowbox walls or a spacer to lift the glass off the surface of the fabric. For a completely inert package, use a metal frame or line a wood frame with a metal one.. You won't see if if you use it as a liner, but it stops acid migration from the wood frame into the framing materials inside. Wood frames give the piece a softer, less modern look, so you may want to use a wood frame that complements the qualities in the piece, then line it with a very thin metal frame so it hides inside the wood frame.
I hope this helps a little! Without seeing the art, its hard to give design advice, but it sounded more like a restoration/preservation issue anyway.
best of luck!!
sara
