The following brochure, "Conservation of Works on Paper," and the "Framing Worksheet" are free pdf (Acrobat) downloads. If you do not have Acrobat, click on Acrobat Reader for a free download of Adobe's latest version. The brochure is not intended to be anything other than an overview of a fairly complex subject, and to give you a few simple guidelines for working with your framer. Please make as many copies as you need. A copy of each is sent with each order.

Many years ago, before I knew the visual signature of cheap, non-archival mat board, I had had three prints framed. I was adamant that the framing be archival, regardless of cost. The shop had just done thirty Ansel Adams prints, so "of course we know how to do archival work." And my three prints were, in fact, beautifully over-matted and framed by them. Then a few years later, a friend, who did framing, told me that the over mats were not archival and he showed me sample boards to prove it. When I took the pieces back to the original frame shop I was told: "you are not on my computer . . . anyone could have put my labels on the back of your pictures . . . I have a doctorate in art history what do you have? . . . most people bring in crap and who cares about conservation, it's just crap . . . ." When another shop, that specialized in photographs looked at my three framed prints they found that the non-archival over mats had been glued to the original mounting boards. This was 1984, and it cost me $1800 to have the three pieces restored. A year or two later, I saw a show of Ansel Adams prints, thirty, on loan from a local collector. Most of them had mold on them.

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