Fine Art Framing, Cape Town
Three frames.One standard.
We come to the work, not the other way around.
Rook & Stammers offers a small, carefully curated collection of conservation-minded frames for art, photography, prints, and objects that deserve proper care. We bring samples, measure properly, consider the room, and help you choose a frame that feels right now and remains right over time.
Every piece asks for something different: protection, proportion, restraint, presence, or quiet support. Our job is to read the work properly before deciding what should surround it.
Less noise.
Better decisions.
The collection
Three options, each with a purpose.
More choice rarely leads to better decisions. We prefer a tighter collection, explained properly, so the decision is guided by the work, the room, and the level of protection required. The choices below give the conversation a clear place to begin.
Frame 01
The Archive
Quiet, protective, gallery-mindedBest for: pieces that need quiet protection, visual calm, and a frame that supports the work without taking over.
Built around acid-free mat board, UV-filtering glazing, sealed backing, and reversible construction where possible. For works on paper, photography, and editions where the frame should protect the piece without demanding attention.
Frame 02
The Grain
Warmth, weight, and natural presenceBest for: warmer interiors, original works, textured pieces, and rooms that need a more natural presence.
Solid timber mouldings in a curated range of finishes, natural, stained, painted, or aged, built to the same conservation standard throughout. For work that needs warmth, substance, and a more architectural presence without becoming ornate.
Frame 03
The Float
Depth, objects, and dimensional workBest for: canvases, textiles, memorabilia, dimensional works, and pieces that need depth or protection.
For canvases, three-dimensional work, textiles, and objects. Each float and shadow box is built precisely to the piece. The gap between work and backing, the depth of the box, and the shadow it creates are all judged around the object itself.
Unsure which frame applies?
Why it matters
A frame is not only decoration. Done properly, it is the first line of defence between a work of art and light, moisture, acidity, handling, and time. We treat conservation as the baseline, then make the choices feel clear rather than opaque.
"The best conservation work is often invisible. Nothing dramatic happens. The paper does not yellow. The mount does not mark. The piece is simply given a better chance of ageing well."
Acid-free mounting
Standard mounts can be acidic and may discolour or damage artwork over time. Where mounting is required, conservation-grade, acid-free mount board is treated as a baseline, not an optional premium.
UV-protective glazing
Glazing is not just about glare or finish. We specify UV-protective options where appropriate, with higher-protection glazing available for works that are valuable, light-sensitive, or likely to hang in exposed rooms.
Sealed construction
Humidity and pollutants can contribute to warping, foxing, and mould. A carefully sealed frame helps protect the work from its surrounding environment, which matters in Cape Town homes as much as it does in galleries.
Reversible techniques
Wherever possible, we favour reversible adhesives and mounting methods, so the work is protected now without creating problems for a future conservator, collector, or owner.
Not sure whether your piece needs conservation framing?
Starting prices
Good framing is priced around the piece, not forced into a generic menu. The figures below are useful starting points for smaller, straightforward works, so you can quickly tell whether we are the right fit before beginning an enquiry.
We would rather be clear early than vague until the invoice. Before anything proceeds, you receive a clear quote and a plain explanation of what is driving the price.
The Archive
For works on paper, editions, and photography where quiet presentation, proper mounting, and UV-protective glazing matter most.
The Grain
For solid timber presentation, warmer interiors, and pieces that need more presence without becoming decorative for its own sake.
The Float
For canvases, textiles, objects, memorabilia, and shadow-box builds where depth, spacing, and careful mounting are central.
What can influence the final quote: overall size, glazing choice, mount complexity, moulding selection, and installation requirements. Other specialist considerations may apply where relevant.
A tailored approach
"Every frame starts with the same question: what does this work need? Not what fills the wall. Not what looks expensive. What does it need in this room, against this wall, with this light."
Materials don't lie
Every frame is specified with the same underlying discipline: acid-free materials, appropriate glazing, sealed construction, and careful mounting. These are not decorative extras. They are the reason the frame can be trusted.
Proportion is a decision
A mount that is too narrow can suffocate a work. A moulding that is too heavy can overpower it. Getting it right requires judgement, an eye for proportion, and the willingness to say when something is not serving the piece.
The room is part of the frame
A frame can look right in isolation and wrong on the wall. We work in your space because light, wall colour, furniture, and neighbouring pieces all change the decision.
How it works
Start with a photo, approximate size, and a note on where the piece will live. This gives us enough context to suggest whether the work needs conservation framing, a timber presentation, object depth, or a simpler route.
We advise on the most sensible frame direction before anything is booked. If a home consultation is the right next step, we arrange a time. If the piece needs special handling, we flag that early.
We bring the collection to you, see the work in its intended space, assess the room and wall, measure properly, and finalise the recommendation. You receive a clear quote before production begins.
Once approved, the frame is produced to our specification, checked against the brief, and delivered back to you after final review. Where suitable, we assist with hanging; for larger or awkward works, specialist transport or installation can be built into the quote.
Things people ask us
Who we are
A small operation
with a clear
standard.
Rook & Stammers is led by Luke Stammers and Nicholas Thomas, two Cape Town-based founders with complementary backgrounds in operations, contemporary art, print sales, client service, and the presentation of work for discerning collectors. We started the business because good framing should feel less rushed, less opaque, and more carefully guided than it often does.
Luke works directly with clients to understand the piece, shape the brief, and make the process feel straightforward from first conversation to final installation.
Nicholas brings experience across contemporary art and print sales, helping translate artistic intent into practical framing decisions.
Together, we keep the operation deliberately small: a defined collection, personal consultation, close production relationships, and direct accountability from first conversation to final hang.
Send us a photo
Best if you are unsure where to begin. Tell us about the piece, its approximate size, and where it will hang, and we’ll suggest the most sensible next step.
Book a consultation
If you already know you want guided framing advice at home, we can arrange consultation, measurement, samples, and a clear recommendation.
Email us directly
Best for designers, artists, galleries, multi-piece projects, or any job with unusual handling, scale, timing, or installation requirements.
Email us directly →The first conversation is simple. Tell us what you are working with, where you are based, and what you are hoping the frame will solve. From there, we can advise whether a consultation makes sense.
Start with a few details
Tell us what the piece is, whether it has sentimental or financial value, where it will live, and what kind of help you want from us. A photo is often the best place to begin.
Your enquiry has been sent. We'll review the details and reply directly. If you have photos ready, you can email them to hello@rookandstammers.co.za with your name in the subject line.
Small print, kept small
Privacy & practical notes
A few quiet notes on enquiries, records, analytics and photographs. The responsible party is Rook & Stammers (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town. For privacy or record requests, email hello@rookandstammers.co.za.
Enquiries
We use the details you send to reply, advise, quote, arrange consultations and carry out agreed work. We rely on your consent, the steps needed to prepare or complete a job, and ordinary business recordkeeping.
Records
Enquiries may pass through our website form, Google Workspace, Make, Airtable and Cloudflare. Access stays limited to the people who need it, and we do not sell personal information.
Analytics
We use Google Analytics, which uses cookies to help us understand site visits and improve the service. We do not use it to personally identify visitors.
Your say
You may ask to access, correct or delete your personal information, or object to how it is used. Email us and we will deal with the request as plainly as possible.
Keeping things
Project records are kept for practical, accounting and service reasons. If an enquiry does not become a job, we keep it only for a reasonable follow-up period before deleting or archiving it.
Photographs
Photos help us understand the piece, space and framing context. We only share or publish client project images with permission, and avoid identifying private homes unless agreed.