two questions

[Kai Vanuffelen]

Hello,
Had a customer in this week in his eighties with a photo of himself in his twenties. This one was framed with a metal frame with small flowers on the corner. He also had an unframed photo of his wife at the same age and wanted the same sort of frame. He told me, that these photos were taken when they got engaged to make sure you got the right girl or bloke!

I glanced at the framed photo with dirty glass and asked the man if that is non reflective glass. No, it is clear glass. They didn't have non reflective glass in those days. You should know that. I replied that I'm not that old to remember that.
Anyway, did we have non reflective glass in the early fifties? When did framers first start using this type of glass?

Second. At Toast Masters I gave a speech about matboards. At the end there was a question from the audience asking why are they called MATboards? I replied that in the early days the boards had a matte finish. Not being able to think of a better reply. Why are they called matboards? Anyone?

 

[Jim Miller MCPF GCF]

... did we have non reflective glass in the early fifties? When did framers first start using this type of glass?

To my knowledge, anti-reflection, optically coated glass became available in the mid 1990s. I can't imagine that it was available in the 1950s.

there was a question from the audience asking why are they called MATboards? I replied that in the early days the boards had a matte finish. Not being able to think of a better reply. Why are they called matboards? Anyone?

Your guess is as good as mine. Good question, though.

 

[Gregory K. Norris CPF]

The word spelled "matte"is from Old French, and probably was intended for our purposes as "cushion" since it protects the art from the glazing. Or it could be from the German "mat" which is akin to a door mat.

See, that college education wasn't completely wasted.:smile:

 

[Kai Vanuffelen]

Thanks Jim and Greg. With non-reflective glass I meant frosted or etched glass. Not coated as in optically coated glass.

 

[Ormond Williams MCPF]

In the UK they are called 'mounts', which for me is a little strange, but I understand their concept of a picture being 'mounted'.

 

[Russ Wood]

As far as etched glass or whatever, I seem to remember in the late 50's / early 60's there was some kind of diffused glass. I don't remember the details but it might have been some kind of glass with ground powder rubbed against the surface to reduce the glare.

I remember it was for black and white photographs on fiber papers. (of course there weren't a lot of color photographs back then). I got it at Mort's frame shop that also sold framing supplies in the back under the name of Rocky Mountain Moulding. (that way Mort could get better prices for his frame shop because it was technically two different companies).

Wow, what a long time ago.