This antique book plate is framed in an antiqued 1 3/4″ basswood cassetta frame (espresso stain) with a slender off-white mat.
The antiquing process is to first distress the raw, joined frame, then stain it, seal it, smooth with fine steel wool, then glaze it with an antiquing wash consisting of light gray paint, water, white PVA glue and rottenstone (pulverized limestone). The glaze is brushed on and immediately wiped off, getting caught in the frame’s ridges, chips and corners. Also, on the raised parts and corners, the steel wool tends to lift the dark stain so we can see through it to the lighter wood beneath.
The effect is a well worn frame with history and character. Genuine antique frames are oozing with character, but after 100+ years, they’re usually coming apart at the corners, or they have hardware and materials that we know now will not endure. With this replica antique frame, we get the best of both: a seemingly historic frame with durable joinery that will keep the art inside preserved.
