Reverse Cassetta Frame

Reproduction of an Italian Reverse Cassetta Frame gilt on wood. This Bolognese early 17th-century Cassetta frame is available for any particular painting size. Therefore you can fit it with any painting.

Properties

This Reversed Cassetta frame is made of ayous and tulipwood perfectly combined together. As a result, we obtained the maximum strength with the minimum weight.  You can customize the rabbet size as you prefer. For instance, if you want to show a bigger part of the painting you can ask to reduce it.

Section width cm 10
Rabbet cm 1

Reversed Cassetta Frame Decorations

The surface of this Cassetta frame is completely smooth and you can watch a video related to the gilding process on our Youtube Channel. https://youtu.be/fTQHIH9dRC8 | We can lacquer the flat surface with the color that you prefer. As a result, you can just mail us a picture of a frame with the color that you desire.

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 picture 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.

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