Your SendAFrame.com frames are created with the highest of standards for quality, materials, workmanship and finish.  SendAFrame.com is dedicated to providing our customers with everything you need for Creating the Perfect Gift.

Minimal, proper care for your beautiful frames will permit them to become lasting heirlooms that can be passed along for generations.

If you have any further questions about specific pieces or patterns, please e-mail us your question so that we may provide you with the best information possible.

The enemies of frames are moisture, heat and sunlight, which accelerate deterioration. Never place valuable artwork or frame pieces in a bathroom, near a fireplace or radiator, or in direct sunlight.

To clean wood or metal, use a feather duster or very soft cloth - not potentially damaging household cleaners.

Never spray a cleaner directly on glazing (glass). To clean the glass, spray regular Windex-type cleaner on a soft fabric like cheesecloth and then apply.

The use of Sterling Silver dates back to the ancient Kings and Pharaohs. In the United States, the craft of the silversmith was one of the first established.

The term "Sterling" refers to metal that is 92.5% silver. The remaining 7.5% is made up of alloy metal. When most people think of caring for silver, their first worry is tarnish. Tarnish is an unavoidable, natural occurrence, caused by a chemical reaction between the silver and sulphur particles in the air.

Fortunately, tarnish may be prevented by frequent touch and handling of your silver frame.

When you receive your new silver piece, it will have a bright, mirrored finish. Most of the sterling silver products SendAFrame sells have an invisible coating over the sterling to keep them tarnish free. This practice is becoming increasingly popular with prominent manufacturers as it extends the brilliant look of the piece - both for shelf life as well as customer use.

However, your silver may not keep this bright finish forever due to cleaning (as expected of genuine silver!)

Over time, uncoated silver develops a soft, rich, mellow patina. Patina is what gives antique sterling its unique look. This look is also characterized by a slight amount of black oxidation, built up in the fine details of the design, which gives the design a three dimensional look. Soft, hand washing is always recommended for sterling silver.

Metal frames that are made by electroplating silver over a base metal in a process called Silverplating.  Silverplate is less expensive than Sterling Silver, but has the same warmth and beauty.

Because silverplate is less expensive, it allows you to purchase a larger and heavier frame at a lower price.

Without examining it for a trademark, most people cannot tell the difference between sterling silver and silverplate.

Silverplate is cared for in the same way as sterling silver, but it is always recommended to refer to any specific care suggestions that accompany SendAFrame pieces for proper care information.

Suggestions for Hand Washing:

• Use a mild liquid detergent and avoid abrasive cleaners.
• Separate your sterling from any stainless steel.
• Hand dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

We also recommend use of Goddard's Silver Polish ($4.00 at hardware stores) where tarnish is now prominently showing and needs to be removed.

Hardwoods are broad-leafed, deciduous trees (angiospermous), such as birch, maple, oak, walnut, and cherry, as opposed to softwoods, which are evergreen, needle and cone-bearing (coniferous) trees, such as pine, cedar, and fir. The terms do not actually refer to hardness, for example: balsa is a hardwood. The part of the tree normally used is the center heartwood, normally darker and denser than the surrounding sapwood.

Hardwoods usually have been kiln dried (or air dried) over a period of a month or more to slowly reduce the moisture content, making the woods more stable and less likely to crack, split, warp, etc.

The finish should be free from scratches, pits, or tool marks, and consistent throughout. Wood may or may not shine; luster varies from species to species. There should not be any grain (wood fibers) that have risen up; this is a normal action of wood, and should have been accounted for in the production process-the wood is repeatedly soaked and allowed to dry; the risen grain is sanded off. This is repeated until no grain will rise when it gets wet. This is critical for a frame to have generations of luster and high polish.

Glazing is the protective window of the frame.  Glass is easy to maintain but fragile;  acrylic is nearly unbreakable and light, but can scratch and attract dust.  Almost all SendAFrame.com frames are constructed of glass glazing to permit maximum clarity of the art within.  The glazing has been treated to be UV-protective (partially shields art from harmful rays) and partially non-glare (diffuses reflected light).  Where glass is not used because of weight or curvature restrictions, the glazing material is noted in its description text.

Never spray a cleaner directly on glazing.  Again:To clean glass, spray regular Windex on a soft fabric like cheesecloth and then apply; for acrylic, use Plastic Cleaner Magic (about $5 at hardware stores).

There are a few species of wood commonly found that are threatened with extinction or will be threatened if current trade is not drastically curtailed.

Regulated by CITES (the Center for International Trade of Endangered Species):

A few desirable but endangered woods are Brazilian rosewood; Mexican and Caribbean mahogany, Guaiacum officinale and Guaiacum sanctum, and Holywood lignum vitae, also known as the "tree of life."  SendAFrame does not offer products made from these trees.  A few other woods narrowly missed being put on the endangered list (by one vote).  These include: Swietenia macrophylla, Bigleaf mahogany, and American mahogany.

There are a few select forestry operations which are permitted to harvest these species; they must be designated so by a third party. There are some operations that are completely renewable, sustainable - the money stays within the community, and much of it is done without intrusive machinery that requires an extensive network of erosion-causing roads.  Such programs include the Smartwood program of the Rainforest Alliance, and the Good Wood program.

SendAFrame.com is becoming active in these programs.  Current projects provide frames that are of materials identified as "safely harvested".  Additionally, some frames of special, yet "endangered" woods are becoming available by natural selection processes will be available in limited editions. However, at the present time we are not permitting this material usage until we receive further information on its administration.

You should always ask your wood suppliers - lumber stores, home improvement stores, guitar shops, and furniture stores - if they participate in these programs or use their woods.