5 Tips for Framing a Historic Newspaper

This blog post was guest written for us by Guy Heilenman, President of Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers.

Properly framing an antique newspaper offers long-term protection, looks attractive on display, and is a great conversation piece. A framed, original newspaper can also be a unique gift that a friend or loved one will cherish for a lifetime.

 

President Lincoln! Framed up beautifully in quarter sawn oak from our Arts&Crafts Collection

 

Why Frame A Newspaper?

Framing an original newspaper to commemorate a special or significant moment is a great way to recall fond memories of a special time in your life or the life of someone close to you. When put on display, a newspaper stored in a high-quality frame will last for years and years, preserving it for future generations to enjoy and treasure.

We, Rare & Early Newspapers do not offer framing services directly, because we want to maintain our focus on acquiring, accurately describing, and selling the historic newspapers themselves. We can ship your newspaper directly to American Frame if you wish. Be sure to let them know to anticipate its delivery by calling 800-537-0944.

 

What an exciting time this was! Framed in a classy presentation of Traditional Silver and archival Black.

 

5 Tips to Remember

1.       The edges of older newspapers are not always perfectly square like photos or other commonly framed items. Depending on your taste, you might prefer to have the newspaper placed on top of a full mat, separated from the glazing with a spacer, foregoing traditional style matting (in which a window is cut in a piece of matting to slightly overlap the item underneath). Or, American Frame can custom cut single or multiple mat windows to fit your article or full newspaper.

2.       We highly recommend having the entire issue hung or hinged within the frame. If your custom framer is not familiar with hinging artwork, you should find another framer or frame the piece yourself. Here is an acid free linen tape suitable for this task. If the pages are loose and you decide to frame only the page containing the key content, store the remainder of the issue behind the mat board so as to not lose it. 

3.      Use only archival materials when selecting mat and backing boards so no acids transfer from the framing material to the newspaper (Virtually all professional framers use archival material today.) Mount your work on a black archival mat board (to prevent text and photo ghosting) and stiffen by taping it to a mounting board to the size you want. Give your newspaper space and dimension by adding a custom cut top mat in any color you care to display! Favorites are black, white and cream.

4.       Select UV-filtering glass to filter out much of the ultraviolet rays which may, in time, damage the newspaper if exposed to sunlight.

5.       Even with UV-filtering glass, be sure to hang the newspaper in a location where little or no direct sun will fall on the frame throughout the day.

Finding Your Newspaper

We can help you find the perfect newspaper gift to frame. Visit the Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers gift issues page to get started!

Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers has been a dealer in rare and historic newspapers for more than 35 years. They are acknowledged as one of the top collectors and dealers of original and historic newspapers in the world. Every item they offer is guaranteed to be absolutely genuine, original, and as described.