An acid free mat that is a solid color all the way through in a dirty white or cream that picks up on the color in the sepia and a relatively simple frame in a dark wood tone.

Oh those are wonderful! I think you have great vision for seeing that! Most people would probably say white matting and black frames, but IMHO I feel those frames add to some of their charm or history. This will probably sound creepy too, but I'd either antique those frames with a little black (shoe polish or paint) or I'd buy some antique looking ornate frames in the same brown tones. It would probably look nice to mat them, but I'd just get them reprinted into smaller prints through Kodak gallery or Costco and still use either the same frames or new frames in the same size. I hope that makes sense...hard to put my vision into writing. Curious to see what others might suggest and what you decide to do! Good luck--Lukki

I'm generally crap at knowing how to frame things, but just wanted to tell you that I think the old photos positively ooze charm! Especially the cheeky ol' guy in the kilt - what a hoot! Definitely come up with a few good stories about who the boys might be!

Those are really intriguing photos. I can totally understand why you bot them and the price! the price! WOW

I'd mat them in cream and get similar frames to what they have, maybe a bit wider, but definitely brown (walnut) stained. Maybe double mat with a thin brown line to accent.

BTW 13 year old daughter may really like them and want them in another 10 or 20 years! That's often how it works! :-)

Thanks so much for the help and suggestions! I know what I like as far as art, prints and pictures .. I don't seem to have the 'touch' when it comes to the framing part though. I'm pretty clueless and I think the right mat and frame can really play up the piece.

Let me ask another question. Right now the photos are behind glass. If I mat them and re-frame them, should the new frame have glass in it too? I'd think the answer would be yes right, to protect the photos?

Aunt Jen .. Isn't the guy with the kilt awesome? :) The little man standing in back of the same motorcycle is character too! The general make-up of his face and the expression he's wearing is fantastic.

I'm with Lurkish on this one.

I don't think photographs should be matted. They should be put into frames. That is how it has been done historically.

These are candid photos not studio sittings, so the sole framing looks fine.

I think the frames that they have right now are appropriate. I realize that they look a little scuffed up but that adds to the charm. I would get some of that Old English scratch cover and go over the scratches in the frame.

Hang them in a tight grouping. They are going to look fabulous.

Ditto Dilly Dally.
Enough said.

Thanks Dilly Dally & Justgotabme!

I think I'll give cleaning up the frames a shot and see how they look then. :)

Oh good. I think you'll be happy you kept them pretty much as is.