Why all the holes?

[Bobwilki]

Bought this picture at an estate sale. It was hanging over the mantle. I was wondering if anyone might know why they would drill 16 holes in it. The holes don’t even go through the frame. It had picture hangers on the back. A real head scratcher.

 

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[Red-Coat]

From your pictures, it looks like the holes do go all the way through the surround of the frame. I can see the white backing of your wall through some of them. I would guess this was originally an old and heavy mirror, from which the frame has been repurposed. The holes would have enabled it to be secured flush to a wall.

Nice work, and I take it you know this is a print. The 1870 original is in the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

 

[teleprospector]

Maybe every time someone got mad at the person in the picture, they drilled a hole?
Jon

 

[Blackfoot58]

Red-Coat has the opinion that I have.
The frame was anchored to guarantee stability; probably a mirror. Then used for the art work..

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

I think there were wood plugs in the holes that fell out or maybe fake jewels/ rhinestones. If you look close you can see where the finish has a rim that is raised like something was pushed into the holes. It also looks like an old glue in some holes.

 

[Bobwilki]

From your pictures, it looks like the holes do go all the way through the surround of the frame. I can see the white backing of your wall through some of them. I would guess this was originally an old and heavy mirror, from which the frame has been repurposed. The holes would have enabled it to be secured flush to a wall.

Nice work, and I take it you know this is a print. The 1870 original is in the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

I think you’re right about it. I knew it was a print. I only gave $10.00 for it. Thanks for the info.

 

[Bobwilki]

I think there were wood plugs in the holes that fell out or maybe fake jewels/ rhinestones. If you look close you can see where the finish has a rim that is raised like something was pushed into the holes. It also looks like an old glue in some holes.

I agree the holes are really weird. They are large at the entrance and get smaller as the hole gets deeper.

 

[Kona Koma]

Bought this picture at an estate sale. It was hanging over the mantle. I was wondering if anyone might know why they would drill 16 holes in it. The holes don’t even go through the frame. It had picture hangers on the back. A real head scratcher.

Ha! Didn’t understand the value of the frame.

 

[l.cutler]

I agree the holes are really weird. They are large at the entrance and get smaller as the hole gets deeper.

The holes are countersunk, it was apparently screwed to something so the holes are larger on the outside to accommodate the head of the screw, smaller where the shank of the screw went through.

 

[TreaShore]

Like someone else suggested, it looks like it may have been done to help anchor the frame. My guess is that they are screw holes and maybe there was a valuable piece in it that the owner wanted to make sure it was a little more difficult for the piece to get spirited away by a thief.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

In the 2nd picture it shows the hole, but it doesn't go into the second (back) part of the frame to secure it to a wall the holes are only in the front part of the frame. So securing it doesn't seem plausible.