Featured Frames of the Week

This week, we bring you two more antique Spanish frames, this time with a back-story. As many readers of The Lowy Blog will know, the ardent community of frame enthusiasts spans the globe. Lowy Frame and Restoring Co. will gladly travel thousands of miles to inspect particularly unusual or engaging pieces. For the frames below, Larry Shar made the trip to Salamanca, Spain to view a collection of 17^th and 18^th century antique Spanish frames that had been collected by an elderly antiquarian over the course of his lifetime.

This extraordinary 17th-century Spanish receding Baroque parcel-gilt frame comes from the Salamanca-based antiquarian’s collection.

Before being permitted to see the frames, Lowy’s president had to be interviewed to make sure he was worthy of owning the collection’s treasures. After passing the test, he examined the frames and beckoned the drivers of the truck he had hired to take them to the exporter for shipment. To Larry’s amazement, he was surprised to learn that it was not possible because the three-hour siesta had just begun. The good news? He was treated to a two-and-a-half-hour lunch.

At Lowy, we’re visual people, and we love faces. This small late 17th-early 18th century carved, gilt and polychrome frame contains shells and painted masks connected to cherub heads and stylized scrolling leaf carvings.