The Centenary of WW1 has awakened our memories and emotions of the past.
The participants often chose to try and forget their experiences, and, if they spoke about it, it was only to those who had gone through the same horrors.
Their descendants are trying to preserve and understand what remains of their sacrifice.
Some examples and stories we have been involved with include -
A 'lost' postcard sent to a soldier, who before his mail arrived to him, was badly wounded at the Battle of Fromelles. The 'undelivered' postcard was found in the mud of the Somme by another soldier and by this great good fortune it eventually reached the addressee.
The 303 clip of bullets worn on a bandolier that stopped a Boer bullet in the South African war.
The English-French dictionary that stopped a piece of shrapnel.
A woman who saw a familiar face in a photograph on display while touring the Western Front who later became able to identify one of the un-named soldiers as her Great Uncle.
It is not unusual at our design counter for there to be tears while discussing the presentation of these very personal items that mean so much to their owners.
As a picture framer it is essential to have or to access both correct preservation and presentation procedures, as well as understanding the nature of the contents intended for display.