The "History From Both Sides" Story

Front cover of The Daily New Era in Lancaster, PA.

It was ordinary day.  Telling Keith about an old newspaper that I found while going through a pie safe we have on our second floor landing.  Bought the pie safe close to 30 years ago, but have no idea when and where the small gray box appeared in it.  Today at Grebinger Gallery I was matting and framing an old deed dated 1898.  The customer wanted to be able to see both sides of the document when it was finished.  I have matted and framed a few other items that you could see both sides and this one would be no different.  I first cut the double mats to the customer's dimensions then mounted the document on a piece of glass rather than a piece of acid-free foam board.  After mounting the document using acid-free tabs, I place the mat over top of it.  Pretty much the same as on a regular job except for the substitution of the glass for the foam board.  Next I cut the chosen frame to match the matting.  On this job I used a piece of Museum Glass for the front glass.  This glass will not only block UV rays, but is also reflection free.  Expensive also!  

Putting the finishing touches on the framed document.

Placed the Museum Glass into the frame followed by the matted job.  On the rear of the job I next, very carefully,so as not to create any cracks in the bottom glass, use the wedge driver to hold the job in place against the Museum Glass.  Then, I use double-faced acid-free tape to attach a second double mat of the same color.  Now both the front and rear of the document can be seen and they both feature matting.  Only difference, one side will be against the wall and that side of the frame usually doesn't carry any decorated moulding.  The job looked great after I used some black paint to paint the rear of the frame and added Wall-Buddies to hold it on the wall.  These are placed on the corners so you do not have hooks and wire to block the view from the rear if you chose to take it off the wall to view.  

Finished double-sided framed document I did at Grebinger Gallery.

I'm sure by now I have lost quite a few of you, but if you examine the photos you can see what I am talking about.  My old newspaper I had shown to Keith is a souvenir of the Inauguration of President Harrison.  It was a supplement to the regular newspaper, The Daily New Era.  It was published in Lancaster, PA on Saturday, March 2, 1889.  The newspaper was originally called the Lancaster Examiner when it was first started in 1887.  The supplement that I have is a four-page document that shows 7 Presidents on the front and 16 more in the center foldout.  The rear of the supplement is a page of advertisements from Lancaster that features an ad for the well known architect, C. Emlen Urban.  Ads also appear for Watt & Shand, one of Lancaster best known department stores, Kirk Johnson & Company Pianos and Organs as well as Reilly Bros. & Raub, a hardware store in downtown Lancaster.  I now have to figure what to do with my find.  Do I mat and frame it as I have just done with the deed?  Maybe I could place it on eBay and try and sell it or maybe take it the Lancaster Historical Society and donate it to their collection.  Then again I could put it back in the box and someday another generation of LDub's family may open it and wonder what to do with it.  The saga of the supplement will continue for now!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - The owner of Grebinger Gallery, Keith, made a video of my finished framed document.  He emailed me a copy and my granddaughter Courtney helped me place it on Youtube.  I have attached a copy that you may see.