09 Oct A Leap of Faith
Genealogy meetings and conferences are great places to meet people. The energy in the room is always electric. Everyone is excited to learn more about research methods and make friends with ancestry enthusiasts of all backgrounds and experience levels. We know this because we first met Patricia D. at one such meeting. Since then, we’ve worked with Patricia on multiple projects and have had the pleasure of learning more about her and her family heirlooms. Our team asked Patricia to share her experiences with photo restoration and custom framing.
Tell us about your piece(s) (photo restoration, custom framing, or painting restoration). What did your project(s) mean to you? How did you feel about its original condition?
Item #1 is a decorative-style marriage certificate of my grandparents from the 1870s. It was starting to deteriorate, and I wanted to ensure it would be conserved to last for future generations. Marriage certificates in today’s age are practical, not artistic.
Item #2 is a portrait by an itinerant artist using three school pictures of the three sons in the family. My husband remembers the person knocking on the door with a sales pitch and other items like a photo album for sale. I wanted to preserve the image for him and for our daughter particularly since one of the brothers died in his early twenties and there are few pictures of him and there are only maybe two photos of the three boys together. The school pictures used were from different years for each of the three boys.
People have varying experiences with restoration and custom framing. Some people have used professional services, have explored do-it-yourself options, or are completely new to the process. What did you already know about restoration or custom framing? Did you have any concerns or questions about the process?
I have framed some pictures and cross stitches myself after a day class on framing, so I was familiar with the process. I have also had prints professionally framed by a framing store. I had never had any experience with restoration. However, in each project I have taken to Coyle, they have explained what restoration is needed and what to expect as an end result. It is a leap of faith to entrust a one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable heirloom in someone else’s hands, and until you get the piece back, you wonder how it will be returned. However uncertain relinquishment of an item is, knowing restoration is needed in order to preserve it for future generations makes the decision easier. After the first project, I have been quite comfortable having other heirlooms undergo restoration, digitization, and framing by Coyle Studios. The portrait was a more complicated framing job because it not only needed an oval frame, but convex glass.
Everyone has different timelines for their projects. Some pieces sit on our clients’ shelves for years before they bring them in for restoration or framing. Others act straight away. How did you decide this was the right time to frame or restore your item?
I had been in possession of the marriage certificate for several decades keeping it flat and protected as best I could but certainly not properly! I could see the deterioration of the paper. After hearing a presentation by Coyle Studios at a local genealogy meeting, I had the impetus to make an appointment for it to be assessed and to get a cost estimate.
The portrait of my husband and his brothers was given to us in a group of photos and other ephemera from his living brother. It had all been stored in a garage for unknown years, and I immediately wanted to get it framed and have any stabilization done that would be necessary.
When to bring an item in for restoration, stabilization, digitization, and/or framing is a matter of timing not only to avoid further harm but also financially. Projects that are in more immediate danger are prioritized over the ones I would love to have done simply because it is an investment.
A before and after reveal is so exciting. How did you feel when you first saw the finished product? What reactions–if any–did you receive from your family and friends?
I was extremely pleased with both projects. The portrait I had framed of the three brothers was a surprise Christmas gift for my husband, and he was really happy when he saw it. Some reactions from family are a little underwhelming. I believe that unless someone has seen the “before” condition, the “after” cannot be fully appreciated.
We always wonder what happens to projects after they leave our studio. They become very special to us. What did you do with your final piece(s)? How did you feel about the end result–especially when compared to its original condition?
Both items mentioned are proudly displayed. The marriage certificate was framed to be hung in our dining room and still holds a place of honor on the wall out of direct light! The portrait has been hanging on the wall in our living room since my husband received it as a gift.
Was there anything about the process that surprised you? What was your favorite part?
I don’t recall being surprised by anything about the process. Getting insight into how the portrait was created (from three separate school photos provided by the mother of the boys) was interesting to learn.
The best part is of course seeing the final result!
What advice do you have for people looking to start their own restoration or custom framing project?
Assess what you have and prioritize by importance to you and for the future and by the condition of any items being restored. Take several items in to be professionally assessed. You may be surprised at what the professional may tell you about the piece or the condition. Then, make the decision about which project and what–restoration, stabilization, digitization, and/or framing.
