How to Frame a Stamp Collection
A framed stamp collection is a selection of stamps that have been mounted, matted and framed like artwork. Framing a stamp collection is a great way to display your stamps creatively and beautifully.
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Instructions
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Choose Your Framed Stamp Collection Theme
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Choose the theme you would like to have for your framed stamp collection. Themes can be topical, where all stamps are related to a topic like animals, plants, sports, music or popular culture. Or you could choose the features of the stamp for your theme, such as country of issue, cancellations or first-day covers. The possibilities are endless!
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Acquire or pull from your collection stamps that work best with the theme upon which you have decided. You might even decide to frame just an individual stamp. Or you may want to frame an entire sheet, which creates a pleasing artwork-like pattern of repetition.
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Create Your Framed Stamp Collection
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Use paper and pencil to create a sketch of the layout for your framed stamp collection. You may want to make paper models of the stamp's approximate size and use them to experiment with placement. Try several different layouts before deciding on the one you like best.
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Decide whether you would like to add additional information to your backing sheet. Hand-drawn or printed designs and hand-lettered or printed text can add interest and aesthetic enhancement to your framed stamp collection. Do all decorating before mounting stamps to backing sheet.
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Purchase a precut mat board or cut mat board to your specific dimensions. Choose a color that compliments the stamps you are displaying, or use white for maximum contrast.
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Use stamp mounts, which are plastic sleeves with adhesive backing, to protect the stamps' gum from damage. Insert the stamp into the mount, moisten the back of the mount and adhere the mount to the backing paper.
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Place the mat board into the front of the frame.
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Place the backing sheet with attached stamps behind the mat board, being sure to position properly so the appropriate viewing window shows through on the front.
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Place the back cover of the frame behind the backing sheet and close the frame.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are framing stamps whose quality you want to preserve, make sure to only use archival quality materials, such as acid free mat board, acid-free inks and frames of conservation quality with UV inhibiting glass to protect from fading.
