Often a client wants a medal framed together with a diploma or a memento. Let us see the problems that require particular attention.
Problems can arise in getting medals to sit between the glass and the back of the frame. This is due to their thickness. The solutions can be:
• Putting a spacer between the glass and the diploma or memento (which from now on we will call "the parchment").
Figure 1
• Placing a bevelled mountboard around the parchment. In this case the thickness of the mountboard compensates for the thickness of the medal.
Figure 2
If the thickness of the mountboard is not sufficient then a two can be used hence doubling the thickness.
Figure 3
• Other more creative solutions can be for example a niche that is set in the mountboard to secure the medal or a composition of objects of which the medal is a part of.
Figure 4
In any cases the problem of the floating parchment in the empty space, that has been created between the glass and the back of the frame, has not been resolved. This space is often rather large and its width is determined by the thickness of the medal. The only way to keep the parchment flat is to glue it to the back of the frame. As mentioned above this method is not always advisable and it first requires the specific authorisation of the client. The alternative is to let the parchment freely float. In some cases this is also the best aesthetic solution especially if the parchment is a valuable one.
How to secure the medal
It is first of all necessary to distinguish the two possible cases; a medal without a ribbon and one with a ribbon.
If the medal is without a ribbon then it can be fixed to the parchment with double-sided adhesive tape. This is not the most orthodox method as the double-sided tape tends to alter the parchment in time. It is a solution that again requires the client's specific authorisation. It is a good solution if the client desires saving some money. It is also possible to use silicon or a few drops of glue. Even these solutions would not guarantee the perfect integrity of the parchment in time.
A more orthodox solution would be to fix the medal next to the parchment so that the parchment is completely visible and hence will avoid getting damaged by glues and adhesives.
Figure 5
The ribbon
Often the medal is hung with a ribbon. Sometimes the client provides us with the ribbon whilst other times we are asked to supply it. It would be advisable to have a certain amount in stock of various types. The most common types are those representing colours of ones National flag. Other popular colours are red, blue, gold, etc. The width of the ribbon is approximately 10 mm (2/5") which is a little wider than the pin hole of the medal. The ribbon has to fold at the point at which it goes through the medal's hole.
The ribbon can either have or not have a bow. In some cases the bow provided by the client is already ruined and hence should be changed.
If there is no mountboard the ribbon could be secured to the top of the cardboard backboard and then folded forward as indicated in the figure.
Figure 6 Figure 7
A similar solution could be used even when there is a bevelled mountboard. The ribbon could be secured to the top of the cardboard backboard of the frame so that it is coming out from under the mountboard.
The ribbon could also be secured in the lower part of the parchment. In this case it would be secured with a metal staple and folded forward in order to hide the staple.
