i AM NO EXPERT BUT i HAVE MADE SOME OLD FRAMES
LOOK REALLY GOOD.
Here is what I do, after I have cleaned them I use the Plaster of Paris
to replace the chipped and broken corners. Usually just pinch the plaster
into the shape you want or use a kitchen knife to mold it to the shape
you want then spray paint the whole thing the color you want it.
Now you say no I am not going to spray paint the whole thing because
of those lovely flower shapes or other shapes standing out in the
plaster that are gilded with gold. Well there is a product called
"Rub and Buff" you get it at Michael's the craft store or any good
craft products store. once you have sprayed the color you want you use
the rub and buff to hit the high points of the carvings or figures
or whatever. Let's say you painted the frame black or Maroon color
then u use antique gold color of rub and buff now you have the color
 combination similar to the old frame's original look. Once the rub and
buff is in place ypu just take a terry cloth or towel old rag or whatever
and polish the rub and buff and it looks and lasts just like a painted
surface. quick and easy yet does a beautiful job.
rub and buff is only about $3.00 a tube, small tube but a little goes
a long way when you are just hitting the high spots anyway.
Try it I bet u will like it.
Another way is to cover the frame or parts of it with the plaster of
paris, then b4 it dries take an old ladies comb the big end of the
comb and comb the plaster into ridges, then when it dries spray paint
the whole thing and then hit the high points again with rub and buff.
It will give you very nice looking frames. U can even buy cheap frames
and make them look very expensive with this stuff. Try it experiment
with it and if you get new ideas pass them back to me.
Charles
Don't worry bout me, I'm as organized as a henhouse full of chickens.
----- Original Message -----
From: 
To: 
Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2000 6:21 AM
Subject: Cleaning and restoring some old picture frames


 I'm not sure if this is off topic or not - if so, please reply to me
> privately so as to keep the list uncluttered.
> Can anyone give me a web site that can tell me how to go about cleaning
and
> restoring some old picture frames. They are oval shaped and have
decorative
> flowers carved at random around the edges - and in some chipped places
there
> appears to be a layer of plaster of paris or some other white hard
substance
> on top of the wood frame. The decorative flowers may have been molded from
> the layer of plaster of paris. I know one of the frames is at least 100
years
> old (it has a photo of my Paternal grandfather who died in 1897), and the
> other two about 80-85 years old (one with a photo of my parents wedding
> picture taken in 1920/21, & the other of my father & his brother in their
WWI
> Army uniforms).
>
> These were found stored in an old trunk in the attic after my grandmother
> died and just recently came into my possession, so I'm thrilled to death
by
> the find, but they need cleaning up & some chips and cracks repaired. I
know
> I can't afford a professional to do it and need some help in how to do it
> myself so I won't ruin them. Any help on cleaning products, etc., which is
> safe to use will be very much appreciated.
>
> Thank you,
> Betty Norem (in Panama City, FL)
> [email protected]
>
>
>