Framing and Caring for Antique Prints and Paper

Acid-Free Mat and Ultra-Violet Proof Glass to Protect Old Engravings

Aug 21, 2009
Lorraine Syratt

Napoleonic Colored Engraving With Heavy Foxing - Lorraine Syratt

Antique engravings and other paper items were printed on handmade paper which doesn't age well. There are ways to preserve old paper items and ensure longevity.

Antique prints and other paper items such as old letters, manuscript pages and autographs need to be handled very carefully if they are to be framed. Many old engravings and other paper items were printed on handmade paper and the original quality was uneven. It can respond negatively to environmental changes.

Root Causes of Paper Damage

Paper damage can result from numerous sources. Rust forms when staples and paper clips are left on for years. Sticky tape leaves a brown mirror image on the paper. Dampness and molds cause foxing (see illustrations.)

Prints with foxing damage may be restored using a bleaching method, but it's tricky and best left to a professional conservator. Some very old and rare pieces may be left alone if action is taken to prevent further damage.

Antique Paper Degrades

When caring for antique prints it's important to note that paper degrades as it ages. There is still paper in museums over 1000 years old, so not all paper rots away. When museums filled their archives will old paper over the past 150 years, those early curators didn't have acid-free paper of file boxes, but those items survived long before they reached the museums and continued to survive as the curators handled them with soft cotton gloves.

Caring for Antique Prints

First and foremost, if the engravings or other paper items are very old and fragile, be careful handling them, especially around the edges. If the paper is brittle, chips can break away from the corners and folds appear easily.
Handle the paper with an opened hand beneath it, rather than fingers.
If not framing the engraving or paper item, store it flat between two pieces of acid-free paper. File folders full of old prints is not a good storage procedure. It may be organized, but each piece needs to be separated from the others.
When storing antique prints, letters, photos and other printed matter, store at room temperature, not in a damp basement or plastic containers which hold moisture. Acid free boxes are the best choice.
For framing, purchase acid-free mat and backing paper.
If it's an old frame, remove the original glass and replace it with ultra-violet proof glass.
Direct sunlight can fade a print very quickly, even over a week or two. So with this in mind, place the framed print out of direct sunlight.

Antique Prints and Home Decor

In Barbara Milo Ohrbach's Antiques at Home, she wrote that "Old prints are like windows into other worlds." This is true for those who collect antique maps or early engravings of London scenes, for example. Each describes a point in history.

The historic nature of old prints and paper products make them worthy as interesting art work on walls. Similar prints should be placed in groups on the wall. Groups of prints should be framed in the same frame and matting. An odd assortment of frames takes the eye away from the prints.

Consider the type of print when choosing the frames. Colored botanical prints are well suited to gilt frames and black and white engravings look best with white matting and a black frame. When choosing frames from printed artwork, remember that the art takes precedence over the frame. A simple frame with clean lines adds a contemporary feel to old art and art is more visible.