Digital BW, The Print

>>Hmmmm.... What sort of insects are we talking about here?  I just took a
look at the prints I had framed recently.  As I understand from my
discussions with them, they have placed a sheet of museum board (the same
used to create the matt on the front) behind the print (or rather hinged the
print to this), a sheet of backing board behind that, stapled it all into
the frame and then taped the seams to make it look all nice and tidy.
However, there are slight gaps in the tape in the corners, in some cases
2-3mm wide \ufffd certainly wide enough for some sort of insects. If they can
have a field day on the front they can do the same from the back.  Maybe
this is just sloppy work by my framer but they are supposedly very
reputable.

	Here is what I do (or my framer does now that I've found a good one): 100%
rag museum board backing and over-matt (e.g., Westminster museum board,
there are others), placed in Nielsen gallery frame with acrylic, acid-free
foam board backing with spring clips to apply pressure -- a really tiny bug
might get in there, I doubt it (but they don't eat much).

>>I find it hard to believe that any insect interested in feasting
on archival cotton won\ufffdt also enjoy sprayed HPR or Epson Semi-gloss.  To
date I have collected the mats from my framer and sprayed these too with
Lyson Print Guard before returning them to the framer so that he can
complete the job.  Is this enough to ward off these pesty insects you speak
of?

	Well, I'll bet at least they'll have a high old time gorging themselves.

Seriously speaking...the museum board is somewhat fragile.  I have never had
any damage to a print framed as above.  I leave hinged matted prints
(unframed) in portfolio boxes (Light Impressions).  Once I did leave some
matted prints leaning against a wall, on carpet.  The part touching the
carpet was destroyed in short order  (makes you think about walking
barefoot -- I hope it was just chemicals in the carpet and not varmints.  I
also carelessly left a few matted prints in a brown architect's "portfolio",
and they didn't last a year.  The part about the bugs (probably applicable
to other hazards) was related to me by John Sexton, Ansel's last assistant
and a really fine photographer.  Hope this helps.

Regards,

  --Ken Carney
    www.kencarney.com