Telegramme Prints and Custom Framing

From time to time, we put new art in old frames. A regular customer brought in a vintage frame recently, this compelling portrait was in it. He was not interested in the artwork, which turned out to be an offset litho that does not appear to have a significant value. A conversation with a client today prompted a google search, and this image has quite a story. The artist, Vladimir Tretchikoff, is Russian born and died in 2006. The original painting was done in 1950 in Capetown. For many years the model was thought to be a lady in a San Francisco, but was recently revealed to be a 17 year old Capetown girl named Monika Pon who worked in her uncle’s laundry. ‘He walked in, stared at me and said, “Hello, I’m Tretchikoff. I would like to paint you. Would you sit for me?”. Of the finished painting, she said “‘To be honest, I didn’t like that green face,’ she said. ‘I thought it made me look ill.’ She spent much of her life in poverty, working in a fish-and-chip shop and as a seamstress. Tretchikoff became a wealthy superstar, largely on the strength of this portrait. His prints and paintings were hugely popular in the postwar era, and by one account this print, The Chinese Girl, outsold prints of the Mona Lisa. The two were reunited in the 1990s, struck up a good friendship and photos show them laughing together. She says ‘I’m not boasting but it was my portrait that made Tretchikoff rich. The Chinese Girl was the best thing that ever happened to me in my not-so-nice life.’.  http://bit.ly/mbd8zU

This was a first for us: a custom frame lightbox treatment for a vintage 80s video game ‘Zwackery’. The light is turned on by a switch along the bottom edge of the frame, and is powered by a battery pack that holds 8 AA batteries, accessible by a door in the back.

We recently shadowboxed microphones for clients in the communications industry. Here’s one of them. Note the purple mat sidewalls. Another great job by our framers!

‘VARIOUS CONCERNS OF THE ARTIST’

Telegramme Prints and Custom Framing has acquired this showstopping print by one of Canada’s foremost Aboriginal artists, CARL BEAM (1943-2005).

His work, executed in diverse media such as drawing, watercolour, etching, non-silver photography, photo transfer, installation and ceramics, has been exhibited throughout North America as well as in Italy, Denmark, Germany and China. It is found in major Canadian and international collections including the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Albright-Knox Gallery in Buffalo, N.Y.

Details: VARIOUS CONCERNS OF THE ARTIST CARL BEAM (CANADIAN, 1943-2005) COLOUR ETCHING, NUMBERED 2/8; SIGNED LOWER RIGHT - UNFRAMED (Image, 45.5” X 29.8”) (Sheet, 47.5” X 31.8”)

Sold framed as shown, $1599.

This past fall, we acquired this SPECTACULAR tryptch at auction at Waddington’s in Toronto. We are selling this as a set as framed only, $2699.

Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997), American AS I OPENED FIRE (TRYPTCH), 1966 [CORLETT, APP 5] Three colour offset lithographs; stamped verso with copyright R. Lichtenstein 1964 c/o Beeldrecht, Amsterdam. Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam publication. Sheet size of each 25.25” x 20.50”, 64.10 cm x 52.10 cm

The original tryptch is in the collection of the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam

Well the holiday season is upon us, and here at Telegramme we are always solving problems: For example, what should I do with my 9/11 commemorative hand-knit Ralph Lauren wool sweater that no longer fits?
Bring it to us at Telegramme and we will build you a beautiful custom shadowbox that will always fit perfectly.

This smile is for you Steve!

We can substitute anything in place of a decorative mat to complement your artwork. Our client loved the poster, loves the Flaming Lips, but was concerned that the graphics didn’t really convey the crazy cartoonish energy of the band. We suggested floating the Flaming Lips screenprint on some fun giftwrap from Toronto based Whigby that we acquired from Ethel in Leslieville. Our customer just picked up his order today, and encouraged us to take a pic to add to our portfolio. He LOVED the finished product.

So I got Val Kilmer’s carelessly discarded Wrigley’s Doublemint stuck on the sole of my shoe this morning and I thought to myself: It’s that time of year again!

That’s right…

…TIFF!!!


This year we are celebrating by displaying some super-incredible vintage movie posters, from Toronto’s last Grindhouse, the Rio Theatre at our 194 Ossington Ave. Shop!

For more info about the posters, check out the Rio Movie Posters facebook page.
All of the prints are for sale (except Ernest Hemingway’s “The Killers”), please contact: riomovieposters (at) gmail (dot) com for all sales inquiries.

ACTION, SUSPENSE, HEARTBREAK, POPCORN GREASE!

WE’VE GOT IT ALL!!!!!!!!!!

disclaimer: ok the whole Val Kilmer thing was completely fabricated, please do not seek revenge against me Batman, but please do stop by our shop to come see some cool posters.

This is a stellar poster that a customer brought to us to have framed. It is designed by Martin Ansin and printed by Mondo. We encapsulated it in a Neptune blue frame made from earth-element number 13. Our conservation glass protects it from unwanted ultraviolet and gamma ray attacks.

Captain’s Log: We are closed for holidays until Friday August 19