What periods do these pieces cover?

The available selection spans from the seventeenth century through to the mid-twentieth century, encompassing periods such as Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian design. Items reflect the distinct aesthetic movements of their respective decades, including French Rococo, Art Nouveau, and Chinese Export craftsmanship.

How were these frames used?

These pieces served primarily as architectural and domestic wall furnishings, designed to display portraits, landscapes, and mirrors within formal rooms. Owners mounted them in parlours, hallways, and overmantles to introduce light, colour, and artistic prestige to interior spaces.

How do I live with antique frames?

Integrating these pieces into modern spaces involves hanging them securely on appropriate wall fixings, accounting for the substantial weight of carved wood and glass. Keep them away from direct sunlight and excessive moisture to protect delicate giltwood, canvas surfaces, and historic paper elements.

How can I tell the periods apart?

Distinguishing between eras requires examining the wood construction, the formulation of the gesso, and the specific style of the carved ornamentation. Seventeenth and eighteenth-century pieces often display hand-carved joinery and subdued gilding, whereas Victorian and Edwardian examples utilise heavier moulded gesso and brighter finishes.