Museum Glass problem/issue

Greetings --

I've just received my first delivery of Tru-Vue Museum Glass, and popped a 16x20 sheeet in a frame with a matted image, and held it up to the wall.

The tiny spot lights in my apartment are rather close to the wall, creating a sharp angle between the light and the framed image.

In the white border around the image, you can see a "pattern" of horizontal bands. I tried this with both sides of the glass, and the results are the same.

Has anyone else noticed this? It seems unacceptable that in order to reduce reflected light, you live with a pattern or texture to your framed work.

I called Tru-Vue, and they said it's most likely due to the optical coating on the glass.

Thanks in advance.

Ned Otter

A few years ago I was talking to a Denglas rep, and he compared the Denglas coating, which he said the glass was dipped into during manufacture, to the Tru-Vue Museum coating, which he said was sprayed on. If you hold the glass up to a strong light and look very carefully, you can see the difference.

I use Tru-Vue Museum, and until then I never noticed the coating patterns, and more importantly, I never noticed any patterns or banding showing on the print. I continue to use Museum glass because Denglas is very difficult to find here. Unless I look very, very carefully at the framed print, and in a certain light, I can not see any patterns or banding.

I use Museum, and haven't seen the banding that you are referring to. I have noticed the slightly uneven surface of the coating when looking across the surface.

Best,
Helen

I have generally had extremetly good results with Museum Glass. I have found it to have better color and is sharper than Denglass.

Be aware however that the coatings on Museum Glass are applied as a sputter coating and it is possible that there could at times be some uneven coating.

Generally handle Museum Glass with much care and just leave the inner surface and coatings alone, they are very soft, easily scratched and removed. The outer coatings are much harder and less prone to removal or scratching. However, you should still handle the outer coatings with care.

Use an ammonia free glass cleaner to clean the outer glass surface, but spray the cleaner on a soft cloth or something like a Tork Towel. Aerosol ammonia free glass cleaners can be sprayed directly on the outer surface. When the lighting is placed properly it will in many cases look almost as if no glass is in the frame.

Rich

Hello Ned,

I have had the same problems with a batch of Musuem Glass a couple of years ago. The coat banding on the glass is a defect, and you should have it replaced.

Good Luck,
Shane Knight

horse photography

The 'banding' is not a 'defect' the 'banding' is the UV coating.

I HATE all UV coated glass it ALL casts that shadow on prints.

Stop using the 97-98% UV protected glass and use True View's Anti Reflection glass "AR" it is also low iron (whiter glass) and has same invisible look and is like 78% UV blocking.

Good Luck!

Corey

My local Denglass distributor says Denglass are out of business...EC

The funny thing is - museums wouldn't ever use the stuff. They use something called 'plain glass'... I think it looks better anyway... just my opinion - but I think the 'matte' type glasses look weird, they're gimmicky, and they distract from my enjoyment of a print. What's wrong with adjusting your lighting to minimize reflections?

Sparky said:

The funny thing is - museums wouldn't ever use the stuff. They use something called 'plain glass'... I think it looks better anyway... just my opinion - but I think the 'matte' type glasses look weird, they're gimmicky, and they distract from my enjoyment of a print. What's wrong with adjusting your lighting to minimize reflections?

Click to expand...

Sparky,

Tru-Vue Museum and AR, and Schott Amiran TN are not 'matte' glasses, they are coated glasses - very different from the textured or etched 'non-glare' matte materials.

The point about lighting is that we can't dictate how people illuminate our prints, but even in good lighting an anti-reflective glass virtually eliminates your own reflection when viewing a print. It's almost as if the glass isn't there.

Best,
Helen

I agree with Helen. When I exhibit my work at Art shows which include 2 examples in Museum Glass, the viewers frequently tap to see if there is any glass in the framed images with the Museum Glass. Amazing but expensive glazing material.

Rich