Antique Fabric Picture Framing Example

This is an example of a highly complex project we undertook.

The item to be framed was an African tribal dress made from Manchester Cotton.

Sold via Bonhams, the item was described as "A significant ceremonial fringed textile, from the Bushoong Royal Household; manufactured from 'Manchester Cotton' and decorated with red rectangles alternating with blue and white chess-board or rectangular designs."

The project was complex due to the dimensions of the dress, at nine meters long by ninety cm's, framing the item was a challenge on several counts.

- Layout of the fabric

- Suitable Glazing

- Fixing Methods

- A suitable frame

- A sub frame to provide sufficient strength to carry the weight

- Delivering and fitting such a large and heavy frame.

9 meters x 90cm long antique fabric 2.92 meters wide x 1.1 meter high finished frame

Layout of the fabric

Our client required the item framing and asked for our ideas as how this could be done and how the fabric could be presented.

A key consideration of the layout was ensuring that the differing patterns in the along fabric could be seen, and that once framed, the overall length was reduced, yet that the length could be appreciated.

We agreed on a cascade layout, in which the fabrics length would be reduced from 9 meters to around 2.7m, the fabric would be folded back on its self in equal amounts and spaces to give a uniform pattern.

Fixing Methods

Fixing the fabric in position using a totally reversible method was critical given the value of the item.

The method needed to use materials and methods which would not damage the fabric and would stand the test of time

The fixing method also needed to be invisible.

The method we used consisted of supporting the fabric in place using wooden dowels.

The fabric/dowels were hand stitched to a high quality bespoke stretcher frame, covered in the finest Scottish Ivory Linen, this was supported by 10mm thick acid free foam board.

The dowels were painstakingly coated in a conservation glue to seal impurities into the wood, and then wrapped in linen.

The fabric was fixed to the linen with the minimum number of stitches required, given its size, it was a huge task.

Over 100 pieces of thread and 16 dowels were used to hold the fabric into place.

The fixing method was total invisible, it worked perfectly holding the considerable weight of the fabric.

Given its shear size and weight the final assembly of the frame was carried out at the clients house.

On the day, everything fitted together to the mm.

Hanging of such a heavy item required specialist fixing, and we worked with Andrew Wiley who led on the design of the fixing method and actual fixing. Laser aligned, the frame hung perfectly.

The overall result was perfect.