Today we’d like to introduce you to Frederick Baker.
Frederick, please share your story with us.
Briefly, it’s 1962 and I’m attending Lake Forest College and working part time for my in-laws framing many 100’s of pictures for Playboy and the Playboy clubs. My mother-in-law was an optometrist and my father-in-law was an optician in a small family practice in Albany Park and the head designer for Playboy was one of their optical patients. This lead to the framing referenced above and ultimately, with Playboy as a captive client, the opening of Frame Master Galleries on Sheridan Road in 1964 upon my graduation from Lake Forest College with honors in Art History.
Fast forward to 1968 and my forming a partnership with Erich Klein of Eric’s Frame Studio. We opened at 216 W. Ontario Street as FredEric’s Frame Studio, Inc. where our combined businesses doubled and in need of additional space, I purchased the building at 1230 W. Jackson Blvd. several years later where we have remained ever since.
Our business doubled several times over at our new location. FredEric’s has a well-entrenched reputation as the finest frame maker in the Midwest. Our ability to fabricate 22K gold leaf frames as well as creating custom veneering, engraving, wood finishes, acrylic frames as well as welded metal frames was and is unique and unequalled. Ninety-nine percent of our product is made in the Jackson Blvd. workshops with a small amount being outsourced. Our reputation extends from coast to coast, with numerous museums, galleries, corporations, designers, collectors and private clients who desire the high quality custom product that we offer.
In approximately 1972, I opened Frederick Baker, Inc., an art gallery specializing in works of art on paper at the same Jackson Blvd location. The gallery has also become recognized from coast to coast as well as internationally as one of the finest sources for high quality original and decorative art on paper as well as for a smaller inventory of paintings, sculpture and objects. I am a member and former board member of the IFPDA (International Fine Print Dealers Association) and a member of CINOA (Confederation Internationale des Negociants en Oeuvres d’art) and have traveled coast to coast to various fine print fairs around the country over the years.
1985 brought a complete remodeling of the building on Jackson boulevard and I created the 18,000 square foot frame workshop as well as the 9000 square foot gallery, showroom and office which we still occupy.
Our real treasure is our staff without whom we could not fabricate our high-quality product or be a quality member of the art community.
Has it been a smooth road?
Fortune has been very kind to our two businesses; our customer base is international and very loyal. The primary challenges we’ve faced have arisen with adapting the traditional (and somewhat toxic) materials and practices to more ecologically friendly options while still maintaining the quality that our customers have come to expect.
So, let’s switch gears a bit and go into the FredEric’s Frame Studio & Frederick Baker Inc. story. Tell us more about the business.
FredEric’s Frame Studio, Inc. offers custom crafted and hand finished picture frames of the highest quality. These include hardwoods, 12K and 22K gold leaf carved and plain, antique reproductions and modern frames as well as veneered, engraved, metal and acrylic frames, pedestals, and sculpture/object mounts.
We use only the finest archival materials for matting and also offer a large selection of silks and linens as well as various types of non-reflective, UV filtering glass and acrylic.
Frederick Baker, Inc., is the Midwest’s largest gallery devoted to works on paper. Our inventory includes American and European fine prints, drawings and watercolors; as well as a smaller inventory of paintings, sculpture and decorative objects.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
We often fabricate period frames; so, a significant portion of our business is dedicated to recreating the “trends” of past centuries. Modern framing tastes tend toward clean lines, with minimal and elegant frame profiles. We are predicting a renewed interest in our traditional 22k gold finishes; as well as the continued popularity of the 12k white gold finish.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1230 W Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60607 - Website: https://www.fredericsframestudio.com/, http://www.frederickbakerinc.com/
- Phone: 312-243-2950 (FredEric’s frame Studio) 312-243-2980 (Frederick Baker Inc.)
- Email: fredericsframestudio@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fredericsframestudio/?hl=en, https://www.instagram.com/frederickbakerinc/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FredErics-Frame-Studio-241166425984809/, https://www.facebook.com/frederickbakergallery/
- Other: http://www.ifpda.org/dealer/2475
Image Credit:
Michael Tropea, Mary Livoni, vintage photo of original partner Erich Klein
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