Friday, February 27, 2009

Antique Picture Frames - Proudly Display Your Cherished Photos

By Ned Dagostino

We have mass production to thank for making the products we need available to use when we need them and generally where we need them. Mass production also makes many of those same products affordable. But mass production simply cannot match the quality you get when you buy things that are handmade. And quality is one reason antiques are getting more popular.

Antique picture frames fall into this category. If you really want to show off your cherished photographs or pieces of art, these frames will do so in a way that a mass produced frame will not be able to. You're not only protecting those pictures, you're making them look better, and calling attention to them.

If you have a photo in a store bought frame it probably looks pretty nice, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. But move that picture to an antique frame and it will take on a whole new aura. It's not something that is easily explained, but it is easily noticed.

Do you have a picture of your great grandfather displayed somewhere in your home? How much meaning would that picture have if it was displayed in a frame that he once owned, or maybe even one he made?

Perhaps that frame is not available to you. No problem. Try displaying it in a frame made around the same time the picture was taken. Now you don't just have a picture with a border around it, you have something more. The picture and frame will look like they belong together, and they do. People will notice. You're guests will comment. Everybody's eyes will be drawn to it.

And with an antique frame there's very little reason to worry about quality. I'm not some old timer who thinks everything made in my day was better than it is today. But I do think that when you buy an antique, you're getting something that you know was handmade with pride and quality. That's still available today, just not as often.

It goes back to the fact that everything then was made by hand. And a quality frame maker would give his creation exquisite detailing. Look closely and you will recognize the difference. Again, this is not to say that you can't find that today. You can. But quality is just one of many reasons why you should go with an antique.

But as with everything else, there's a catch. And in this case, the catch is generally the price. Some people think they probably can't afford a true antique. And the fact is, that these frames can be quite costly. More than once I've gone into an antique store and almost fainted when I turned over the price tag. And that hold true whether you are looking at a wood frame, or one made of silver or gold.

At this point you may think you have two options. You can either give up your search or pull out your credit card thinking that this is your only chance to get the antique you want. But both options are bad choices. Instead, you should look around both in your local area and online. If you're patient and persist, you can likely get the frame you want at a price that's more within your budget.

And when you do, buy it and put that cherished photo or artwork inside it and proudly display it. You'll notice a difference right away.

Your guests and family members will notice the difference as well. - 15252

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