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Warner Studios Store Frame Removal
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13 posts in this topic

Hey guys, i’m looking at a page that (i’m told) was framed in the 90s by the Warner Studios Store. I would like to remove the frame if I pick this page up, but i’m not sure of their methods. Does anyone here have a feel for the feasibility of removing that frame?

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1 hour ago, MOStateSuperman said:

Hey guys, i’m looking at a page that (i’m told) was framed in the 90s by the Warner Studios Store. I would like to remove the frame if I pick this page up, but i’m not sure of their methods. Does anyone here have a feel for the feasibility of removing that frame?

2-3 years ago I took a framed piece of art to Michael’s to ask a similar question that you have. The clerk, who happened to be the framing manager, actually took the frame apart for me at no charge. I don’t know how much of this had to do with lucking out with the right clerk but you can give it a try. Not just Michael’s but any frame shop. 

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2 hours ago, MOStateSuperman said:

Hey guys, i’m looking at a page that (i’m told) was framed in the 90s by the Warner Studios Store. I would like to remove the frame if I pick this page up, but i’m not sure of their methods. Does anyone here have a feel for the feasibility of removing that frame?

I've had two of those in the past and in both cases, I just left it in there. I felt it was part of the history of the page.

Usually, the back is sealed up with black tape. And the art is floated against a black board. The real question that I can't answer is whether the art just has a couple of pieces of tacking tape in the corners or if it is dry-mounted.

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1 hour ago, BCarter27 said:

I've had two of those in the past and in both cases, I just left it in there. I felt it was part of the history of the page.

Usually, the back is sealed up with black tape. And the art is floated against a black board. The real question that I can't answer is whether the art just has a couple of pieces of tacking tape in the corners or if it is dry-mounted.

This is the exact set up i’m seeing here. I guess this was a common practice? I had never heard of the WBSS framing original art. No idea what materials were used. 

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I wouldn't buy anything in an existing frame. Ever. I'd ask the seller to prove it can be safely removed from the frame first. The page can always be put back in its original frame if needed (that tape on the back is easy to replace) but there's no way to know what you're getting until you try and get the page out. I've got lots of stuff framed but consider the framing just a lost cost if I sell anything. Buyers are surely gonna want to know the page I'm selling hasn't been murdered by a dodgy frame job. Framing might seem expensive but art restoration is even more expensive, assuming the damage is even fixable, so you want to be sure how much of a problem you're potentially getting here. If it's just something cheap and nice though, go for it!

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11 hours ago, Reba said:

I wouldn't buy anything in an existing frame. Ever. I'd ask the seller to prove it can be safely removed from the frame first. The page can always be put back in its original frame if needed (that tape on the back is easy to replace) but there's no way to know what you're getting until you try and get the page out. I've got lots of stuff framed but consider the framing just a lost cost if I sell anything. Buyers are surely gonna want to know the page I'm selling hasn't been murdered by a dodgy frame job. Framing might seem expensive but art restoration is even more expensive, assuming the damage is even fixable, so you want to be sure how much of a problem you're potentially getting here. If it's just something cheap and nice though, go for it!

100% agree with this wise advice.

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In most cases, I ask the seller to leave the frame behind as well. Particularly because, in the past, I've had glass shatter in transit due and shred a piece (prints, thankfully.)

As I said, I made an exception for the Warner Bros stuff because it felt like it was part of the provenance and a "package deal" unto itself.

If you do end up cracking it open, please report back and let us know how the page is floated/mounted.

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I am pretty sure I met the high end framer who framed all of the WB stuff.  He said he did.  If he is correct and I have no reason to doubt him, the art was framed with tape on the original art, and also not using the best archival materials.  So you would be better off having it opened up and then rematted and mounted.  You can even use the existing frame.  

Every time I buy art that is already framed, I do this now.  Every single time it is framed poorly for conservation.  It costs a lot more and a lot more work to frame it with conservation in mind, and framers will tell you that it may not look as good without the use of tape.  

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As someone who has spent a lot of time on the Warner Brother's lot, and a lot of time hiding from work in the "Warner Studio's Store," I would never buy anything, ever, from the WB store. Maybe a coffee and seriously that is it. I've seen that WB art/ cell animation and stuff. It falls off the wall, is kicked around. And boy when they have their "sidewalk clearance sale" that stuff sits in the hot sun, rain. Frame and all. You may as well buy a print at Spencer's Gifts in the mall by the food court. I'm sorry dude. I really am. 

Edited by NoMan
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Quick update, for those interested. I took this to a local framer I have worked with before, and we (carefully) cracked it open.  

There were three layers of foam board, with the board used to float the art attached to those. The outer layers of board looked like a different type than the inner layer, but the inner board and the board “attached” to the page were determined likely to be made of archival materials. The page itself was attached with what appeared to be archival tape: two pieces along the top, two on the sides, and two along the bottom. If I had thought about it, I would have taken some photos.  All in all, it was very easy to disassemble. A couple of the foam board layers do have to be removed (carefully) to get safe access to the tape holding the art to the floater board.

I wasn’t interested in keeping the page framed, so we separated the art from the board and that was it.

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On 7/4/2019 at 10:28 AM, BCarter27 said:

...or if it is dry-mounted.

Some of the professional Art Restorers who serve the Hobby can safely remove art from drymounting, if the value of the piece demands it.  There are ads on CAF.

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