Yep....Hobby Lobby.....and if you search the Sunday ads, you can often find a coupon for 50% off the frame.
But it's a print.....why would you spend that on framing a print? And not an "original print" at that....I would have painted the frame it was in and saved the money for another piece of art.
Linda C

Made in China vs. American made moldings can make a big difference in price.

I'm with Linda on this. Paint the existing frame. If you want it larger appearing, go to your local lumberyard and put together some larger moldings to surround it and use a trim gun to attach it. Then you could use something like a rope or egg and dart painted in a metallic finish to accent it.

Probably the difference between a local owner trying to make a living providing a quality product to the community and a corporate owned chain paying minimum wage, minimum training, and no benefits and buying all their supplies from China.

It's a beautiful horse piece, by the way!

Beautiful print !!

an interesting frame is another enhancement to your decor, it can make a big difference visually.

As for the price difference, unless we see both moldings side by side, it's hard to tell why one is the twice the amount of the other.

It could be the difference in the framing materials. Once I took a very large picture to a local shop to be framed. We found three different frames that would work with it--the prices varied from $200 to $750 and all that changed was the frame. What it's made of, how it's made, where it's made--all factor into the cost. Frames can be made of wood or plastic or metal, all with different price points. Also, who does the framing, how experienced they are and how much they're paid factors in as well.

Not at Hobby Lobby, but at Michael's, I once got something mounted and framed without a mat. Big mistake. The picture was set crooked in the frame. And they wanted me to take it home! I had to insist on having it remounted and reframed, at their expense of course. So the quality of workmanship at the hobby stores can vary greatly.

I'm with the others here: quality of the frame makes all the difference (in price). But I don't know if quality of the frame will make a scintilla of difference when it's hanging in your home .... If you like the way a frame looks then *that* is most important.

We actually have the opposite here: (one of) the local mom-and-pop frame shop(s) is so far-and-away less expensive with better quality frames than the chain framers (and I'm inc. Fast Frame), and I don't know why .... I know this local shop's frames are better, I know the actual framing is better done, I know the turn-around is faster. Go figure!

But I still do a lot of the framing myself (with frames from Picture Frames) because that is ultimately the least expensive.

Don't forget to show us a pic when it's all done!

I think quality frames are an investment like a piece of furniture and the art can always be changed out if you ever tire of the piece. But I do like that horse!

Anyway, off hand, I think the difference most likely was that Hobby Lobby was having a 50% off sale on custom framing and Michaels was not that week- they both have sales constantly-
Or, that the Michael's frame was wood and the Hobby Lobby frame was not.

Often, you can't tell just by looking at them if their gilded or painted so I'm not a super snob that way, but given the choice, I will always pick a wood frame first.

I do not understand why framing it so expensive. It just doesn't make sense to me. I would only frame something of enduring quality, or something that I really, really loved. If you tire of the artwork, you are stuck with a useless frame unless you find a picture of the exact same size? Seems unlikely.

You can find stock frames online for many sizes, and ebay is a great resource for quality old frames (gilded, gesso, carved...)

I am lucky to know of a locally-owned place that is much lower than the chains, even with their 50% off coupons. They cleaned an repaired an old oil for me, even repaired the gesso. it might be wise to check with a local artists' group in your area to find a quality framer.

Tinycastles - your horse is really cool

If you really hate the frame and do not think you will like it better if you painted it...you can get a new frame at TjM@xx or Marsh@lls for less than sixty. I collect frames at garage sales but have swaped out a TJMX or M picture for my own picture. Just look for the size of frame and pay no mind to the art it holds.

Thanks for the comments. I should mention that Hobby Lobby was running their 50 percent off custom framing sale, but the guy told me that its pretty much an ongoing occurrence now. I also wanted to add that I attempted to gel stain the existing frame with a dark color. For some reason, it made a minimal difference, even though I sanded beforehand and liberally applied 2 coats.

As for the suggestion to paint original frame because its not worth the cost of a custom: I love this print, regardless of its value or lack thereof. It has sentimental value to me because it was 1) a gift and 2)because it reminds me of my beloved horse I had during my childhood/teen years. I feel this print is 'worthy' of a nice frame. It is also going on the mantel of a large fireplace in my Living Room/Great Room and will be a focal point in the room so I definitely want a showcase frame.

To my inexperienced eye, both frames appeared to be wood (or maybe wood byproduct) and were very solid and heavy. I have no doubt the local shop has expertise which may account for cost in labor. But a $340 overall cost difference still seems excessive.

Thanks for the great suggestion jterrilynn. I have done this before with smaller prints. The problem was finding an attractive, dark, ornate frame in this size. The print without frame is 30x40. I have a feeling I would have been perusing TJ's (we don't have Marshall's in my area) for quite awhile before I stumbled upon the perfect one...not that I mind an excuse to go shopping:)

I was lucky enough to have my friend the artist's husband who was an engineer (LOL!) willing to do framing for me. They gave me lessons in original prints, the differences between etching and engravings, dry point lithographs and how to spot a photographic reproduction.....and got me hooked on collecting frames from garage sales and auctions and how to refurbish them. He also did matting and had a variable bevel cutter and all the rest of the tools. Then he retired to Florida...:-((...Oh and he worked for dinner!!!!
But he showed me that even a piece of junk ( like maybe a magazine picture copied on a copier and blown up....or reduced to tiny) when framed in an important frame with a large double mat could look great until you found something better.
No matter that the horse isn't a good piece....to you it's an original Picasso....frame it the best way your purse allows and enjoy it!
Linda C

I also have put expensive frames on items that others would see no value in. How does one put a price on sentimental value?
You have a large size print and I don't think it would be easy to find a used frame or a pre-made frame for it.
You really got a bargain at that price and I hope you share a pic of it once it's framed!

Not to derail the subject here, but if anyone has information about the print (or the original) I would love to hear all about it. The bottom right hand corner is signed CORTEZ (but I accidently cropped it out of my posted pic.)I have attempted to find more info about the artist via Google, but nothing turns up. I always assume that if something has been reproduced then the original must be somewhat valuable or the artist is famous, but I could be wrong in this case. My mother kept the companion piece, which is a black horse also "floating" on canvas. Signed CORTEZ.

Thanks!!

tinycastles, there is a Jenness Cortez on art.com. There are 5 prints shown, and they are of horses. Don't know if it's the same Cortez or not.

The style of every Jenesse Cortez horse I can find is very different from your horse.....and she did paint in various styles....from completely realistic horse race pictures to idealized horses.
But there was also a John Cortez who painted horses....haven't had time to do research.
Could you post a picture of the signature?

Here it is! It is a Jenness Cortez and was only able to find it by using Google image search (which someone here recently taught how to do).

Here is a link that might be useful: The whitest horse

It looks like your mom's might be called "Liberation?" {{!gwi}}

nancybee and Linda- You two are awesome. After looking at Jenness Cortez's recent work and trying to compare signatures, I did not think the print was by her. But I stumbled upon some random art website and there was my print! And the original was done by Jenness Cortez! It is titled "The Whitest Horse". I also found the black horse print my mom kept for herself. That one is titled "Liberation".

Now if I could only track down the owner of the original artwork and persuade them to sell it to me on a monthly payment plan, LOL.

olychick, too funny:) We must have been posting at the exact moment! Thanks for checking into that.

Oh, what would we do without google?

Have you tried looking at places like Aaron Brothers? They might have some odd size frames. Is there any way you can mat it to make it a size that would fit in a store-bought frame?

I'm with Terry...do this all the time. Take measurements with me in case something is found. Usually in the 60 to 90 price range with mattes to fit and larger frames are needed for my paintings/lithos/prints.

Would like to see your print with a matte. Prices will change due to museum quality mounting, glass, etc. I bought some glass from Hobby Lobby and it was half the thickness of original from a speciality shop, even one bought at Biglots. It was so thin, didn't even get home without breaking.

If you are up to it, try Dick Blick for the materials. Also, acrylic vs glass is used by many art mounters. Not a standard acrylic, specialized for art.

Here is a link that might be useful: frames

I think Hobby Lobby over charged you. This is absolutely a "what the customer will pay" priced item. "custom" give people the impression they can charge what they want. A few moldings from the hardware store, paint and a nail gun... It should not have cost more than $50!!

Thanks for suggestions and comments everyone. Print will not have glass so I'm not worried about that. Also, I absolutely do not want a matting for this particular print.

I love home decor and I am very enthusiastic about DIY projects to a certain extent. But when it comes to 5 inch wide 2 tone moldings, paint, nail guns, etc. I'm going to leave that in the hands of a professional (or semi-professional in Hobby Lobby's case, LOL). If this were a smaller print, or not being placed on the mantel in the first room you view when you walk in my formal entry, I would consider tinkering around.

I'd say to do what you want within budget. I recently decided not to re-frame a large photo print that I took of The Piazza del Popolo in Rome. The existing frame was also wrong for my room. Michael's wanted an arm and a leg even with coupon! I decided to move the print to another room.

BTW - Your horse reminds me of my daughters horse, Magic!

Because the print means so much to you, it's worth it to get exactly the frame you want without repainting or making do, especially if you don't like the profile of the moulding. A decent frame can only enhance it and you'll always love it. My brother used to own two frameshops and always framed items for me at cost with no labor charges. Because he bought quality supplies, was, himself, a perfectionist, and I could get very nice frames with the discount, they still cost as much as retail. Since then, I've had numerous prints and original paintings framed at Hobby Lobby and found they were more reasonable than Michael's and have been totally pleased. It's kinda like the cost of eyeglass frames, without the glass-it's hard to explain the huge difference in cost for basically, plastic frames.

It is called free enterprise. Each shop decides what percentage if mark up they will use. .Now of the two big box stores, micheals and hobby lobby, hobby lobby is not only the lowest cost framing but also the only honest of the two. Michael's doubles the price of their framing materials. Then when they factor the 50% 0ff. The customer thinks they are getting a better deal than say Michaels'.I know this for a fact because u have worked. At both stores as a picture framer.