Wide Black Picture Frame with 23K Gold Leaf — 110 mm

An imposing wide picture frame, pairing a deep matte-black body with the warm glow of 23-karat gold leaf laid by hand over red clay bolus along the inner sight edge. The 110 mm width and 50 mm depth give the frame the presence demanded by oil paintings, stretched canvases and colour-heavy compositions — without overwhelming the work itself. Solid timber construction; mitered corners reinforced with wooden splines.

The face reads as a clear architectural arrangement: the outer edge is shaped by a subtle cyma, descending into a broad, flat outer frieze. The profile then steps inwards through a cascade of steps — each level cleanly separated, each frieze held in uniform deep black. The innermost step terminates in a narrow band water-gilded in 23-karat gold leaf over red clay bolus, which forms the optical frame for the artwork and lifts its edge with a warm note of light.

Suited to

This frame is designed for oil paintings and works on stretched canvas — formats that call for a wide, deliberately structured moulding. The 110 mm scale and cascading profile sit comfortably with contemporary work in saturated palettes, classical still lifes, portraits and larger abstract compositions. It belongs to the workshop's family of black picture frames, sharing the principle of deliberate, uniform black; it is distinguished by its breadth and the gilded inner band. In interiors, it sits well in living rooms with restrained palettes, in studies and private galleries — wherever the frame can work as a structural element of the room rather than merely a borderline.

Specification

• Style: classical-contemporary, architectural profile
• Body finish: matte black, applied in multiple hand-laid coats
• Inner edge gilding: 23-karat gold leaf over red clay bolus (water gilding)
• Sealant: traditional shellac and wax
• Moulding width: 110 mm
• Moulding depth: 50 mm
• Rabbet: 7 mm
• Material: solid low-tannin timber, used in museum conservation and art preservation
• Corner construction: mitered, reinforced with wooden splines (conservation technique)
• Artwork retention: factory-fitted spring clips or loose brass plates with screws (selectable in the shop menu)
• Hanging: cord; portrait or landscape orientation selectable from the menu; single D-ring hanger on request
• Lead time: 20–30 working days

The dimensions supplied at order refer to the artwork, not to the finished frame. The frame is made 2–3 mm larger than the artwork for technical clearance, and the rabbet overlaps the artwork edge by approximately 4–5 mm. The base price is the price per linear metre of moulding; corners cut at 45° consume additional length — more so the wider the moulding — and the calculator accounts for full consumption including corners and any options selected.

Workshop process

The frame is made by hand from solid timber in the workshop. The body is finished with multiple hand-applied coats of black paint, producing a smooth, uniform velvety surface. The inner sight edge is finished with traditional water gilding: leaves of 23-karat gold, approximately 80×80 mm, are cut on a gilder's cushion with a specialist knife into narrow strips matched to the width of the step, laid over a foundation of red clay bolus, burnished with an agate stone, then sealed with shellac and wax — a method drawn from altarpiece conservation, giving the gilding its depth and warmth.

Colour variant

The same profile is also available in a paler gilding with more pronounced patination — the version with 22-karat moon gold leaf carries a satin, lightly reflective black finish, more heavily patinated edges with the brick-red bolus showing distinctly through, and a cooler, silvery-gold cast across the face. One profile, two characters — a choice between calm matte black with a warm 23-karat accent, and a livelier patinated surface with the cool sheen of moon gold.

How it differs from mass production

In mass-produced frames, metallic finishes are achieved through pigment spraying, gold-effect foil, or Dutch metal — a copper-zinc alloy that darkens under lacquer over time. On this frame, the warm glow of the inner edge comes from genuine 23-karat gold leaf, water-gilded by a method used in art conservation for centuries. The workshop blog goes into the differences between real gold leaf and Dutch metal in detail. The entire moulding is solid timber; corners are mitered and reinforced with wooden splines — no MDF, no glued bonds.

Mounting and hanging

The frame is supplied without glass, as a setting for canvas on stretchers or other paintings. The artwork retention method, fitted into the rabbet, is selected in the shop variant menu:

• Spring clips — factory-fitted to the frame. They rotate aside, allowing the artwork to be exchanged quickly without tools.
• Brass plates with screws — supplied loose, with screws included. The customer installs them around the artwork at chosen points. A permanent, discreet mounting, preferred for fixed framing.

The hanging orientation — portrait or landscape — is selected in the shop variants before ordering; the frame is then fitted only in that orientation. A hanging cord is fitted as standard. A single D-ring hanger in the centre of the top edge is available on request.

Complete framing — additional options

Every frame can be completed with a full archival mounting prepared in the workshop: glass, archival backing and matting. All components are available as a custom add-on — quote on request.

Glass — four classes available

Opti White, 4mm — low-iron glass with a neutral, colourless appearance (no green tint typical of standard float glass). Available up to 90×90 cm — the only option for larger works.

Ultra Vue UV70 (Tru Vue), 2.0mm — anti-reflective glass with 70% UV protection, low-iron. Available up to 60×80 cm.

Art View — premium-class anti-reflective glass: reflection reduced below 1%, up to 75% UV protection, scratch-resistant coating, low-iron, can be cut and mounted from either side. Meets ISO 18916 (Photographic Activity Test) — safe for archival photography. Premium quality at an accessible price. Available up to 60×80 cm.

Optium Museum Acrylic (Tru Vue) — top-tier museum acrylic: over 99% UV protection, museum-grade reflection reduction, anti-static, lightweight, shatter-resistant. The museum standard for conservation work and archival photography. Available up to 60×80 cm.

Archival backing

Dibond 3mm aluminium composite panel — two layers of aluminium with an acid-free polymer core. Rigid, chemically neutral, dimensionally stable. An industry standard in archival photographic framing and art conservation.

Mounting and matting

Acid-free foam board — chemically neutral, will not yellow over time, will not react with paper or photographic emulsions. Archival standard.

Full museum framing

Combining anti-reflective UV-filtering glass, acid-free matting, Dibond backing and conservation hinging tapes provides a museum-grade mounting — protecting the work from light damage, acid migration from typical framing materials, and mechanical distortion. This type of framing is used in museums, galleries and private collections.

To order: all of the above components are available as a frame add-on on request. Please get in touch with the dimensions of your work and your preferred glass class — I will prepare an individual quote.

Made to measure

To order a frame to fit your artwork:

1. Measure the width and height of the artwork precisely.
2. Enter the dimensions to 0.1 cm in the shop calculator (e.g. 35 cm × 30.2 cm).
3. In the variant fields, select orientation (portrait or landscape) and the artwork retention method.
4. Add the frame to the basket.

The online price calculator supports artwork sizes up to 120×80 cm. Larger formats are made to individual order — please get in touch with the dimensions of your work. Lead time for every order: 20–40 working days.