No Graded Slabs... But Picture Frames??
 

I realize many here do not enjoy the death grip TPG's seem to have on the hobby. I'm personally not against grading per se, but believe it has its place on certain items (disclosure: I prefer SGC on prewar items).

For the non-grading or infrequently grading crowd, how do you display your favorite items? Have you done anything with picture matting and framing?

Below is an example i personally like on an 1880's trade card. Old frame for an old baseball advertisement.

I enjoy making custom "Signature Collection" jumbos, which pair original 1909-11 T206 cards with their authentic signatures. I use the same layout and dimensions as the 2013 Historic Autographs "1909-13 Originals" issue. I suppose I could get them graded, but I really like them raw like this!

Here's my Lajoie next to my Dineen HA....

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...88927cf5_b.jpg

Nice idea, especially with trade cards since they vary so much in size/dimensions.

That looks more like hurling than baseball.

That's awesome!

I wanted a fun, low cost (relatively speaking) t206 project, so I chased the Kansas City Blues team set, and then created a custom matte and frame for it.

It was fun, and currently hanging in the home office:

Attachment 537821

Attachment 537819

Attachment 537820

This strip would be hard to grade better in a archival frame since the early 1980's

wow, love these framed items... let's you enjoy them everyday as opposed to just sitting in a lockbox.

Love those framed cards. Here are a couple of mine...

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/00...g?v=1665668084

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/00...g?v=1665668095

On a somewhat-related note, I was at a show in August and one of the supply vendors had a holder called "Graded Card Empty Slab". Here is a picture:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/05...g?v=1657583744

He gave the dealers a few free samples of his wares and after examining one I thought "why would I want that?" After reading the OP, I guess it could be useful if you wanted to make your own custom card display holders. Maybe cut down an old SGC black insert and use it for a T card...or maybe just for my kid's Little League cards with a DIY flip.

I make backgrounds in photoshop...here's a sample.

Very cool Todd! Love the screw down insert.

1923 W572 strip
 

Last remaining of my once nearly complete W572 strip set

This framed card probably hung framed in some pub somewhere before being auctioned. I left it the way it was.

Great display backgrounds on those Wheaties cards Todd. The dark blue/black and orange colors are a perfect match for the cards, and the diamond design with the baseballs also works really well. I flipped the image for more to appreciate their artistry.

Brian

Thank you very much, Brian, for fixing my image.

I think it's pretty likely that I will spend part of my retirement repackaging lower grade cards in nice displays just for my satisfaction.

David that old Sullivan image and frame is spectacular, thanks for sharing

Thanks Joe. I thought it was pretty unique. I think this is the same framed card I tried to buy from the guy that originally found it in a pub in England. I offered him around twice what I ended up paying for it at auction, and he turned me down.