Framing old letter..Help!!

[Suzy Mouse]

My mother just recently gave me a letter that my Grandfather wrote to my Grandmother when he was stationed in Germany during WWII. It is absolutely beautiful and shows a side of my grandfather not many people knew existed.

I want to frame it to display in my house but the one problem that exists is that it is 2 sided. Do they sell frames that you can flip and se the other side? DOes anyone have any creative ideas what to do??? Please help!

 

[GB]

I would have the back side of the letter photocopied onto acid free lignen free paper so that you can frame both sides of the letter side by side.

Gina

 

[jlp651]

you might be able to find a glass frame that you can see both sides...we have one...its black and silver-but its glass...looks like to picture is floating in it...you might look at like pier 1 or even maybe wal mart...

 

[WalkOnTheWind]

There are frames that you can flip. My mom had an old newspaper from when George Washington died and eventually framed it that way ( after all those years in a "strong box" and who knows where else before my grandfather got it). Check out your local framing shop. If all else fails you could make one by simply buying two identical frames and sandwiching the letter between them.
Karen

 

[goofymom/pop]

hope this helps...

Any good local framing store will be able to make the letter look very special. Ask them to either frame it with two pieces of glass so it can be taken down and viewed from either side. Or, frame the letter on a beautiful piece of mat board, maybe add a picture of the writer of the letter or recipent then make a copy of the back side and tape it to the back of the frame. Either way would be great. I work at a frame store and if it were me I would use the the two glass method. I like the idea of perserving the letter and reading both sides. By the way do you have the envelope, if so include it too. It gives a great perspective to dates and postage costs. We use the two piece of glass method to frame very old pages from bibles, letters, even Mayan art from vacations. It can be done beautifully. Just make sure they know to put at least a one inch mat on the back (not between the glass) to hide the bendable points if you choose wood. If you choose metal the spring clips hide themselves pretty well. Also make sure to use the sawtooth type hangers so they dont show through the glass. You can try to do this yourself less expensively by replacing the back of the frame (the cardboard insert) with a piece of glass. The only problem you may run into is the bendables not being tight enough and you will need a way to hide them too. Save money though and buy the frame, and additional glass and have them assemble it for you with a onch inch mat. The mat does not look beautiful from the back side as it is on the outside but it serves its purpose of hiding the points. If you dont like the look add an additonal mat put the wrong sides together so that the pretty side is facing both ways. This helps alot. Mats should be less than $5 each.

Whatever you do good luck.....!!!!!

Cindy

PS...Michaels is going to be one of the highest prices you will get to do the framing, along with a close second from JoAnn Etc. Try you smaller local shops they generally run less from the start than using the coupons at the above stores. Shop around.