Cassetta Picture Frame

Reproduction of an Italian cassetta picture frame gilt on wood. This 16th-century model is available for any painting size to frame any painting.

Properties 

This cassetta frame is made with ayous and tulipwood combined. We use ayous for the front side and tulipwood for the backside of the frame. As a result, we obtain maximum strength with 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 between 1.5 and 4 cm. Sometimes, it is even deeper due to structural reasons or upon request.

Section width cm 11.5
Rabbet cm 1

Punchwork decoration of cassetta frame

The decoration of the flat surface is handmade, and it gives the frame a very rich appearance. See the video below to learn more about the technique.

Patina (aging process)

“Patina” is an Italian word that refers to how dark and old the frame looks. Apart from dark gold, the age of a Cassetta picture frame is determined by a few cracks and tiny broken parts all around the sides. For this purpose, our gilder hits its surfaces with stones.

Also, the wormholes are simulated, and you will be able to notice them by analyzing the pictures above deeply. The presence of wormholes does not indicate activity within or a recent flight of beetles. Remember that we faked them to specifically age the frame.

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

More videos related to the aging process 

Explanation of the aging process
Distressing the gold surface
Rub off the gilding
Dark shellac
Applying shellac
Final result

CHEAPER CASSETTA FRAMES

See below for different models of Cassetta frames with similar structures but at a lower price.