A client recently brought me a frame to refurbish. The piece was an antique print and, although the frame itself was a bit chipped in places and not of the same vintage, it had some sentimental value for her family so they wanted to keep it. The print inside had come loose and initially she brought it in simply to have it remounted, but it quickly became obvious the mat would need to be replaced as well. Like those in most frames from this era, the core of the mat was made fr

The role played by the mat in a picture frame, and its importance, may not be immediately apparent. In fact, clients who have not had a piece custom framed before often do not know what a mat is, so before I go any further I should take a moment to define the term. The mat (sometimes called the mount) is the material which creates the border between the artwork and moulding of the frame itself. Many people assume they are purely decorative, and indeed they do perform an impor