Framing Standards

The Fine Art Trade Guild has five levels of picture framing and they are -

• Minimum - basic frame, at a minimum cost. Temporary display. An inexpensive 'cash & carry' product into which customers can insert their own artwork.
• Budget - a visually acceptable frame at a budget price. Suitable for replaceable artwork of no commercial or sentimental value.
• Commended - to visually enhance artwork and give a moderate level of protection. Replaceable artwork of limited commercial and/or moderate sentimental value and where visual appearance is important. Preferably processes should be reversible. Customers are advised that lifetimes given assume that artwork is not inherently unstable.
• Conservation - to visually enhance artwork and offer a high level of protection. Collectable artwork that is to be kept for future generations, eg original paintings and limited edition prints of moderate to high value, as well as items of sentimental value. Customers are advised that lifetimes given assume that artwork is not inherently unstable.
• Museum - to visually enhance artwork and offer the ultimate level of protection. Museum-quality works and artwork that is to be preserved for the future, including high value items and artwork of potential or historical value. Processes must be fully reversible. Customers are advised that lifetimes given assume that artwork is not inherently unstable.