A signature in marker or pen fades in daylight. We frame signed photographs, letters, sleeves and programmes behind UV glazing, with no glue on the signed item.
We frame signed photographs, signed letters, cut signatures, signed album sleeves and signed programmes at 1242 Davie Street. A cut signature is a signature on a small piece of paper or card, cut from a larger sheet or signed on a card by itself. On every signed item the signature is the part most at risk. Marker and pen ink fade in daylight, and a faded signature stays faded. So the framing has two tasks: to filter the light, and to hold the item with no adhesive on it.
Light is the main risk
Felt marker, ballpoint pen and paint pen all fade in daylight. We recommend UV glazing for every signed item. Glazing means the sheet of glass or acrylic at the front of the frame, and UV glazing filters ultraviolet light, the part of daylight that fades ink fastest. The wall matters as much as the glazing. Choose one that gets no direct sun and is away from strong lamps. A hallway suits a signed piece better than a wall that faces a window. Our guide to UV glass and glazing lists the types.
How the signed item is held
A signed photograph. The print is hinged to acid-free board, held by small tabs of thin paper along its top edge. Acid-free means the board is made so it stays free of the acid that browns paper. A mat, a border of card with an opening, keeps the glazing off the surface. This matters because a signature in paint pen stands up from a glossy print and can stick to glass.
A signed letter. Hinged in the same way, with the whole sheet showing.
A cut signature. Held by clear corners, small pockets that grip each corner and are fixed to the board.
A signed album sleeve. The sleeve rests in a recess, a shallow space cut to its size, and lifts out later. See record framing.
A signed programme. The booklet rests whole in a deeper recess, open at the signed page or closed with a signed cover showing.
Dry mounting, which bonds paper to a board with heat, and lamination are both permanent, so a signed item is kept away from both.
A mat keeps glazing off a drawn surface as well as off a signature. Censored from Within, a coloured pencil drawing on artboard of two hands covering a face, 30 by 40 cm, would sit behind a mat for that reason.
A small signature alone in a large mat is hard to notice. One layout places the cut signature below a photograph of the person, each in its own opening in one mat. A third small opening can hold a printed card with the name, the date and the place of signing. Ask us at the counter about engraved plaques. All the openings are cut in one sheet, so the spacing is exact. Our guide to double mats shows how a thin second colour can outline each opening.
The certificate of authenticity
Some signed items come with a certificate of authenticity, a paper from the seller stating that the signature is real. Keep it with the frame. It can be shown in its own opening or kept out of sight. Ask us at the counter about a pocket on the back of the frame for it. Keep a photograph of the certificate with your records as well. To learn whether a signature is real, ask the seller or an authentication service. We frame the item as you bring it.
What changes the cost
The outer size, the number of openings, the glazing and the moulding, the shaped length of wood or metal the frame is cut from. UV glazing costs more than plain glass, and for a signature it is the first thing we recommend. You get the quote at the counter when we have seen the item.
Outer size comes first in the list above. Layers of Her, an acrylic on canvas with a close view of a woman's face built from coloured lines, is 30 by 40 cm, so a frame for it uses a short length of moulding. It comes from our gallery.
Bring the item flat in a folder or in its sleeve, and keep your fingers off the signature. If you live outside Vancouver, send the size of the item and a photograph. Signed balls, pucks and shirts are covered under sports memorabilia framing.
Walk in at 1242 Davie Street during opening hours. Enter your email on this page for a 10% framing code to show at the shop, and see custom framing for everything else we frame.
How it works
1
Bring it in, or send photographs
Walk in to 1242 Davie Street during opening hours. If you are not in Vancouver, send the dimensions and a photograph and we will work from that.
2
We look at the actual piece
What it is made of, what condition it is in, and where it is going to hang all change the answer. You get a straight recommendation and a price for your piece, not a rate card.
3
It is made by hand and fitted
Cut to the piece, using conservation materials, and finished with hanging hardware rated for the actual weight.
Common questions
How do I stop a signature on a photograph from fading?
A signature on a photograph fades more slowly behind UV glazing, on a wall that gets no direct sun. Marker and pen ink both react to daylight, and a faded signature stays faded. Keep the frame away from windows and strong lamps. A hallway, or a room with small windows, is a good place for a signed photograph you care about.
What is a cut signature and how is it framed?
A cut signature is a signature on a small piece of paper or card, and it is framed behind its own opening in a mat. Clear corners fixed to acid-free board hold it, with no glue on the paper. It can be placed below a photograph of the person who signed, with both openings cut in one mat.
Can a signed photograph be dry mounted to keep it flat?
A signed photograph should stay out of a dry mounting press. Dry mounting bonds the print to a board with heat and adhesive, and it is permanent. A signed print is hinged at its top edge to acid-free board, which holds it flat behind a mat and lets it be taken out later in the state it went in.
Where should the certificate of authenticity go when a signed item is framed?
The certificate of authenticity should stay with the frame when a signed item is framed. It can be shown behind its own opening in the mat, or kept hidden. Ask us at the counter about a pocket on the back of the frame to hold it. Photograph the certificate as well, so you have a record if the paper is lost.
Can a signature in silver or gold paint pen touch the glass?
A signature in silver or gold paint pen should be kept away from the glass. Paint pen leaves a raised line on a glossy surface, and a raised line pressed against glazing can stick to it. A mat or a spacer, a thin strip under the edge of the frame, holds the glazing a small distance in front of the signature.
Can a signed letter and its envelope be framed together?
Yes, a signed letter and its envelope can be framed together behind one mat with two openings. The letter is hinged at its top edge, and the envelope is held by clear corners with its stamp and postmark showing. A letter of several pages shows its signed page. Ask us at the counter about keeping the other pages inside the frame.
Can a signed programme be framed open at the signed page?
Yes, a signed programme can be framed open at the signed page. The booklet rests in a recess cut to its size when open, and a mat overlaps its edges to hold the pages. A programme signed on the cover is framed closed, which needs less depth. Tell us which page carries the signature when you bring it in.
10% off your custom framing when you show this code at our shop
We frame, stretch canvas and reframe by hand, in our own workshop inside the gallery at
1242 Davie Street. Enter your email and your code appears right here. Show it at the
counter and we take 10% off the job. The code does not expire.
Send the measurements, what it is made of, and a photograph. We will tell you what it actually needs, including when the answer is that it needs less than you expected.
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In-shop offer · 1242 Davie Street, Vancouver
Get 10% off your framing at our shop
Add your name and email and your code appears on the next screen. Show it at the counter
and we take 10% off any framing, stretching or reframing job you bring us. It does not
expire.
Exceptional Service and a Truly Memorable Art Purchase
I had a wonderful experience with Van Art Hub Gallery. I came across two pieces by Melina Ghaemi — *Mad Mirrors* and *Small World in the Hands of a Stranger* — and immediately fell in love with them.
I contacted Van Art Hub Gallery, and they were incredibly helpful throughout the entire process, from arranging the payment to organizing the shipping. At first, I was a little skeptical and nervous about how everything would work, especially since the paintings were still in Iran and it was shortly after the war. But the gallery handled everything with such professionalism and care that my concerns quickly disappeared. Amazingly, they were able to get the paintings to Canada in just two days!
The pieces are absolutely captivating. Even when I picked them up from the frame maker and was simply carrying them to my car, several people stopped and asked me about the paintings. That says a lot about how striking and special Melina Ghaemi’s work is.
A big thank you to Van Art Hub Gallery for making this experience so smooth and enjoyable. I truly appreciated their professionalism, communication, honesty, and integrity throughout the entire process. I would happily work with them again and highly recommend them to anyone interested in purchasing art through the gallery.
I got my order today and your work is really good. I didn’t expect to get a certificate for this painting, it was a surprise. Thanks for caring about small details.
The support team was really helpful and followed up nicely, wich I really appreciated. The painting is just like the photo – great quality and very detalied. I just wish it arrived a bit sooner, but honestly it was worth the wait.
I received my painting today. The support team was great and very responsive. The artwork is exactly what I was hoping for – even more beautifull in person. Truly a valuable piece. I’ll definetely order again. Thank you!
