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: 10/14/2007 Subject: just wondering
Question i would like to know what you think is the best way to display a a very important magazine, also taking into consideration how to preserve it?
Answer hi shana!
good question..
without actually seeing the magazine, i can give you some recommendations based on the best ways to preserve the current condition for years to come.
So, its important that a few things happen in the preservation and display of the piece.
1. Uv glass and/or museum glass and acid free materials only should be used to protect the piece.
2. The magazine needs to be supported from the bottom, so that the spine doesn't have any pressure on it. This means that the piece can be displyed a few different ways: you could utilize a ph neutral plastic bag that would contain the piece and protect it from environmental contaminants, then the bag can be adhered to a backing, not the magazine, (the magazine should have no adhesive applied to it if you want to have it be reversable and archival). Other good ways to display the piece could be to sandwhich it between two pieces of plexiglas (museum plexiglas preferrably to help with glare), and then you can matt over the plexiglas and the plexiglas will keep it in place without any need for adhesive, OR you could also have your framer build a small shelf for the mag to sit on, and then you keep the top two corners down using either vintage style photo corners,(handmade), or sewn down with a wider thread that won't cut into the edges of the magazine.
3. You could consider using a metal frame inside a wood one (as a liner) to really keep it an acid free environment, or use frame sealing tape on a wood one to keep acid in the wood frame from migrating, (over many years), through the matts and into the piece.
4. If you really want it to be archival, don't consider placing it into a cabinet or hinged frame. The piece really should not be handeled by people, as the oils on their hands will stay on the pages. If its really an important magazine, you could also have the article or text inside that is important to you ,(if that's the case), copy photographed without flash before you frame it, and then keep the copies in a separate space than the framed original.
So, all this advise depends on how important the piece is, how long you want it to last, and what us most important to you, being able to enjoy and share the piece, or of you want it to last forever. The above advise will enable you to enjoy and share it, while also preserving it for many decades. If preserving it is the most important thing, you could also consider framing a photo/copy if the cover, and storing the piece in an archival box, in a consistantly "temperatured" space.
Please feel free to ask another question anytime, and if you have any other details that will affect my advise, please send those along too...
Good luck to you with your project! It sounds like you have a great piece to preserve!
thanks
sara
