Cod. 03

Reproduction of an Italian reverse cassetta frame gilded on ayous wood. It’s a Bolognese 17th-century frame style

Width cm 10.5

Reverse cassetta frame

Reproduction of an Italian reverse cassetta frame gilt on ayous wood. This early 17th-century model is available for any particular painting size so that you can fit it with any painting.

Properties

This reproduction frame is made with ayous and tulipwood combined together. We use ayous for the front side and tulipwood for the backside of the frame. As a result, we obtain the maximum strength with the minimum weight.

You can customize the rabbet width as you prefer. For instance, if you need to cover a bigger part of the painting you can ask to enlarge it. The rabbet depth instead, depends on the thickness of the painting. In most of our models, it is something between 1.5 to 4 cm. Sometimes even deeper due to structural reasons or under request.

Section width cm 10.5
Rabbet cm 1

360° presentation

See below a video showing all the steps of the Patina.

Decorations

Decorations are in wood pulp. We carve it when is dry, giving the ornates a very nice shape form. The use of wood pulp, which is 99% composed of wood and 1% of solvent, gives us the chance to contain the price at a very low level. The entire process is handmade, and you can watch a video related to it by following this link to our Youtube Channel: https://youtu.be/fTQHIH9dRC8

You can still order this frame completely carved on wood for a totally different price. To carve it on wood we would use Swiss pine, which is softwood. Ask for a quote, if you are interested in this reproduction of a reverse cassetta frame made completely of wood.

The decoration on the flat surface is also handmade. Our gilder uses a special kind of nail to realize the punching work. Just for your own understanding, we show below the technique made on our cod. 033

The punching technique creates a fine decoration all around the four sides. Surprisingly, its shape will change as the light change, quite frequently to tell the truth. You’ll be able to notice it just at earlier hours of the day with very well-marked ornamentations. On the other hand, during later hours of the day, you will hardly notice it.

Patina (aging process)

“Patina” is an Italian word that refers to the tone of the final gilding of the frame. Making an astonishing Patina is one of the major skills of the gilder in order to make seem this reproduction of a reverse casetta frame an original one. In other words, it concerns the process of aging the gold finishing, trying to distress as much as possible the reproduction frame without exaggerating too much.

To complete the procedure, gilders use some different kinds of stones to hit the frame, creating some fake tiny broken parts all around the sides. Besides, gilders create fake wormholes to age the gilding and you will be able to see them analyzing deeply the picture detail attached above.

Another important part of the patina is gently rubbing off the gold surface with steel wool, trying to make the typical antique abrasions that you see in antique picture frames. In conclusion, any damaged little part of the frame is just a part of a bigger plan.