Conservation Framing for Fine Art
Fine Art & Oil Painting Framing
Original oil paintings, antique works, gallery pieces, and inherited fine art — framed with gilded mouldings, conservation glass, and the attention these pieces have always deserved. Built by hand in West Roxbury since 1981.
Walk-ins always welcome. Bring the piece in and we'll design and price it together.
An original oil painting deserves more than a moulding off a wall rack. The right gold-leaf or hand-finished frame transforms a painting — gives it the gravity it had on the wall of the gallery you bought it from, or the presence your grandmother's painting deserved when it was first hung in the family home a hundred years ago.
We frame fine art for collectors, gallery clients, designers, and estate inheritors across Greater Boston. Hand-finished gilded mouldings, period frames for antique works, conservation glass for valuable pieces, and acid-free linen liners that complete the gallery look.
What We Frame
How It Works
From walk-in to finished piece — a careful, hands-on process built over four decades.
Bring the painting in
We'll look at the piece in person — size, surface (varnished, matte, textured), condition, and the room it'll hang in. Lighting and surroundings matter for the moulding decision.
Choose the moulding
Most fine art deserves gold-leaf, hand-finished, or closed-corner moulding. We carry traditional gilded period mouldings, contemporary minimal floats, and everything between. We'll pull samples and let you see them next to the painting before deciding.
Liner or no liner
A linen- or silk-covered liner inside the frame separates the painting from the moulding visually — common on traditional oils and a meaningful upgrade. We'll show you the difference with and without.
Conservation considerations
Valuable paintings benefit from conservation glass or acrylic to protect from UV and dust. Some collectors prefer no glazing for the painterly texture — we'll talk through the tradeoffs based on the piece, the value, and where it will hang.
Build, fit, and deliver
Frames are hand-built in our West Roxbury shop. For larger or oversize works we offer local delivery and professional hanging — drywall, plaster, brick, the right hardware for the wall.
Why It Matters
Hand-finished gilded and gold-leaf mouldings — period and contemporary
Closed-corner frames for gallery-quality finish
Linen and silk liners in dozens of colors
Conservation glass and acrylic for valuable works
Period mouldings for antique paintings (Louis XIV, Spanish, Florentine, Dutch)
Reversible mounting — paintings are never glued or forced into the frame
Local delivery and professional hanging for oversize works
Designer and gallery wholesale rates
Why Boston Trusts Us
Boston has a serious fine-art community — galleries from the SoWa district to the South End and Newbury Street, designers across the suburbs, and collectors with paintings inherited from generations of New England families. We've worked with collectors, designers, and gallery clients across Greater Boston for over 40 years. Plenty of customers also bring us paintings inherited from estates, purchased on vacation in Provincetown, Newport, Italy, or the Caribbean, or commissioned from local portrait artists. Bring it in and we'll work out the right moulding to give the painting the presence it should have.
Recent Work
Common Questions
How much does a fine art frame cost?+
Every fine art frame is custom — pricing depends on the size of the painting, the moulding (closed-corner gilded mouldings cost more than off-the-shelf wood), the liner, and the glazing. Bring the painting in and we'll pull samples and work out the design and pricing together. Quotes are always free.
What's the difference between a closed-corner gallery frame and a regular frame?+
A closed-corner frame is built so the moulding is mitered and finished as a single continuous piece — there's no visible joint at the corners. It's the gallery and museum standard for fine art and adds significantly to the perceived value of the painting. We carry closed-corner mouldings in dozens of finishes.
Do oil paintings need glass?+
It depends on the piece. Many traditional oils are framed without glass to preserve the painterly surface and visible brushwork. Valuable, fragile, or environmentally sensitive paintings benefit from museum-grade non-reflective acrylic. We'll talk through the tradeoffs for your specific painting.
Can you build a period frame for an antique painting?+
Yes. We carry period mouldings (Louis XIV, Florentine, Spanish, Dutch) and can match the era of the painting. For especially significant pieces we can also source or restore an existing period frame.
What's a linen liner and do I need one?+
A linen liner is a fabric-covered inner frame that sits between the painting and the moulding — usually 1–3 inches wide. It gives the painting space to 'breathe' visually and is a hallmark of traditional oil painting framing. Not every painting needs one, but for most traditional oils it's the right call.
Can you re-frame a painting that came with a frame I don't like?+
Absolutely — common request. We'll remove the painting from the existing frame without damage, design a new frame that suits it, and return the old frame to you (or dispose of it if you'd prefer).
Do you offer trade pricing for designers and galleries?+
Yes. Working designers, galleries, and stagers who use us regularly get wholesale trade pricing. Email us for the trade rate sheet.
You May Also Need
Canvas Stretching & Framing
Rolled canvases, unstretched paintings, gallery wraps, floater frames, and re-stretching for sagging or warped pieces — built by hand in West Roxbury. Whether you bought a painting on vacation that needs stretching or you're an artist with a stack of unstretched canvases, we handle it all.
Learn More
Corporate Art Programs
Hotels, law firms, hospitals, and corporate offices across Greater Boston rely on us for bulk custom framing — donor walls, partner diploma displays, lobby art, and recurring framing projects. Volume pricing, dedicated project management, and direct billing.
Learn More
Proclamations, Citations & Plaques
City of Boston proclamations, BPD recognition plaques, hospital honoree awards, and retirement citations — framed and mounted to look as significant as the recognition itself. Hand-built in West Roxbury since 1981.
Learn MoreReady to Get Started?
Walk in anytime or book a consultation. Bring the piece — we'll design it with you in person and work out the pricing on the spot. We put it in writing before any work begins.
1741 Centre Street, West Roxbury · Free parking · Walk-ins always welcome