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100% Acid-Free Conservation

Mats

Pre-cut 4-ply conservation-grade Crescent Select® matboards in 20 studio colors with crisp 45-degree bevel openings. 100% acid-free and lignin-free to protect fine art, photography, and documents from chemical acid burn.

Rashid Jalili Owner & Master Framer Jason J. Duke Digital Gallery Director & Curator
Curator's Brief 20 Crescent Select® Archival Mats: 100% acid-free 4-ply conservation matboards with 45° white-core bevels.
↓ Jump to Complete Shopper's Guide
01 // White Undertones

Pure White vs. Antique White

Use Pure White for modern photography & bright giclées; use Antique White for warm rag paper, vintage photos & diplomas.

Shop Pure White Mat →
02 // Frame + Mat Recipes

6 Foolproof Combos

Not sure which mat color matches Gold, Pewter, Walnut, Mahogany, or Black frames? See our curator's proven recipes.

View Frame + Mat Combos ↓
03 // Outer vs. Window Size

How Pre-Cut Sizing Works

Select the outer size matching your frame; the inner bevel window is cut slightly smaller than your art size so edges stay covered.

Shop Matching Frames →
04 // Odd Fractional Sizes

Need a Custom Window?

Have a diploma or artwork with non-standard dimensions? Our Computerized Mat Cutter cuts exact custom windows.

Custom Mat Cutter →
The Master Collector's Dossier // Archival Matboards

Complete Guide to Crescent Select® Matboards & Frame Pairings

Every pre-cut matboard is 100% acid-free and lignin-free 4-ply alpha-cellulose with a crisp 45° white-core bevel. Explore our 20-color swatch rack, our 6 Foolproof Frame + Mat Combos, and our conservation sizing rules below.

Crescent Select® Conservation Palette // 45° White-Core Bevel

Interactive 20-Color Archival Matboard Selector

Every pre-cut matboard is 100% acid-free and lignin-free 4-ply alpha-cellulose. Click any shade below to compare color theory and frame pairings across all 20 studio colors:

Pure WhiteGallery Neutral Antique WhiteWarm Cream Cloud GreyCool Mist Dark GreyCharcoal Slate Jet BlackMuseum Noir Archival TanWarm Sandstone Dark BrownEspresso Umber Dark GoldOchre Harvest Summer YellowSunlit Botanical Code RedGallery Crimson MaroonedIvy Burgundy CarnationSoft Blush PeonyBotanical Rose NYPD BlueDress Navy Pharaoh BlueLapis Lazuli Dark BluebirdCoastal Cerulean Blue MondaySky Pastel Wise GreenBotanical Sage Bonsai GreenLibrary Forest Purple TorchRegal Violet
Architectural Directory // All 20 Handcrafted Profiles

Explore the 6 Abbot Art Studio Frame Series

Every frame we manufacture belongs to one of six architectural collections. Find your artwork's ideal series below and click straight to the exact profile:

Series I // Warm Plein Aire Trio

Antique Gold Plein Aire Collection

Wide, inward-canted French Impressionist panels that direct warm golden light onto landscapes, portraits, and still lifes. Available in three distinct architectural silhouettes:

Best For: Warm oil & acrylic canvases, impressionist landscapes, botanicals & traditional studies.
1. Gold Academy (LJ 573235) → 2. Gold Scoop w/ Linen Liner → 3. Gold Standard Moulding →
Series II // Coastal Pewter & Noir Quartet

Burnished Pewter & Black/Gold Plein Aire

Cool hand-rubbed antique pewter for Atlantic seascapes and misty palettes, plus our dramatic Dutch Master Black & Gold Academy profile with a gilded sight-edge spotlight:

Best For: Ocean waves, coastal art, cool-toned oils, chiaroscuro portraits & executive walls.
1. Pewter Academy (LJ 573237) → 2. Pewter Scoop w/ Liner → 3. Pewter Standard w/ Liner → 4. Black & Gold Academy →
Series III // Carved Historical Relief (6 Profiles)

The Ornate Museum Collection

Pattern-matched carved ornamental relief for Old World portraits, restored family photos, or high-contrast Architectural Digest juxtaposition around modern abstract canvases:

Width Guide: Choose 2.0" for large focal art, 1.75" for medium portraits/diplomas, and 1.25" for small studies.
Ornate Antique Gold → 2.0" Ornate Gold → 1.75" Ornate Gold → 1.25" Ornate Gold → 2.0" Ornate Black/Gold → 2.0" Ornate Pewter →
Series IV // Architectural Hardwoods

American Walnut & Executive Mahogany/Gold

Grain-matched solid American Walnut for organic mid-century modern interiors, and our stately 2.125" Mahogany with a gilded inner lip—the #1 university diploma specification:

Best For: Family portraits, architectural photography, Ivy League/University diplomas, MD & JD degrees.
Shop American Walnut → Shop 2.125" Mahogany & Gold →
Series V // Chelsea Minimalist & Beaded Noir

Gallery Cap (Black & White) + 2" Beaded Black

Crisp 90-degree architectural lines in 1.25" Satin Black and 1.25" Gallery White for modern photography grids, plus our 2-inch Matte Black frame with subtle inner beading:

Best For: Black & white photography, modern giclées, symmetrical grid walls & coastal minimalism.
1.25" Satin Black Cap → 1.25" Gallery White Cap → 2.0" Black with Beads →
Series VI // Contemporary Metallic Foil Twins

Gold Foil & Silver Foil Gallery Series

Love the luminous glow of gold or silver leaf, but want a clean, uncarved contemporary wood profile? Our metallic foil twins bring modern glamour to prints and portraits:

Best For: Fashion & wedding photography, monochrome silver-gelatin prints, modern watercolors & abstracts.
Shop Gold Foil Frame → Shop Silver Foil Frame →
Curator's Proven Recipes // Zero Guesswork

6 "No-Brainer" Frame + Matboard Designer Combos

Don't want to overthink color theory? Pick the recipe below that matches your artwork type—just select the same outer size for both the Frame and the Matboard:

Combo #1 // The Universal All-Rounder

1.25" Satin Black Frame + Pure White Mat

If you want one foolproof combination that looks like a million bucks on any photograph, print, poster, drawing, or modern artwork in any room, this is it. Used by 80% of New York photography galleries.

Add to Cart Recipe: Pick your Frame size + matching outer size Pure White Mat + Conservation UV Acrylic.
1. Get 1.25" Black Frame → 2. Get Pure White Mat → 3. Get Acid-Free Backing →
Combo #2 // The Warm Museum Heirloom

1.75" Ornate Gold Frame + Antique White Mat

Warm cotton rag papers, botanical prints, watercolors, and vintage family photos look harsh next to bleached white. Soften them with a warm Antique White cream mat inside our balanced 1.75" Ornate Gold frame.

Works Every Time For: Watercolors, vintage/restored portraits, botanical engravings & fine art prints.
1. Get 1.75" Ornate Gold → 2. Get Antique White Mat →
Combo #3 // The Ivy League Diploma & Degree

2.125" Mahogany & Gold + School Color Mat

The gold inner lip echoes embossed university gold seals while rich mahogany matches executive offices. Pair with Marooned (Crimson/Burgundy), NYPD Blue (Navy), or Antique White.

Works Every Time For: University Bachelor's, Master's, JD, MD & PhD diplomas and professional licenses.
1. Get Mahogany & Gold → 2A. Marooned Mat → 2B. NYPD Blue Mat →
Combo #4 // The Architectural Digest Organic

American Walnut Frame + Wise Green or Cream Mat

When black feels too stark and gold feels too formal, natural American Walnut hardwood paired with a botanical Wise Green or Antique White mat brings effortless organic warmth to any living room.

Works Every Time For: Family portraits, landscapes, botanicals & mid-century modern rooms.
1. Get American Walnut → 2A. Wise Green Mat → 2B. Antique White Mat →
Combo #5 // The Monochrome & Coastal Silver

Silver Foil (or 2" Pewter) + Cloud Grey Mat

Cloud Grey makes the white highlights inside black-and-white photography pop with luminous clarity, while our Silver Foil or Ornate Pewter frame echoes cool silver-halide and coastal blue tones.

Works Every Time For: Black & white photos, wedding portraits, ocean photography & cool rooms.
1A. Silver Foil Frame → 1B. 2" Ornate Pewter → 2. Get Cloud Grey Mat →
Combo #6 // The Breathable Oil Canvas Sanctuary

Plein Aire Scoop w/ Linen Liner + 1" Stretcher Bar

Original oil paintings cannot sit behind glass or paper mats. Stretch your canvas on our 1-Inch Kiln-Dried Pine Stretcher Bar and drop it into our Gold or Pewter Scoop with an integrated woven Linen Liner!

Works Every Time For: Original oil paintings, acrylic canvases & exhibition canvas giclée prints.
1A. Gold w/ Liner → 1B. Pewter w/ Liner → 2. Get 1" Stretcher Bar →
Conservation Matting Science

Color Theory, Overlap Sizing & Custom CMC Cuts

Over 65% of museum exhibitions use neutral matboards—but choosing the wrong neutral can clash with your paper substrate:

  • When to Choose Pure White (Shop Pure White): Best for contemporary digital photography, bright white giclée papers, and high-key coastal prints framed in 1.25" Black or 1.25" White Cap Frames.
  • When to Choose Antique White (Shop Antique White): Best for warm cotton rag watercolor papers, vintage family portraits, architectural etchings, and parchment diplomas where stark white would make the paper look dingy.

Need a Custom Window Opening or 8-Ply Museum Mat?

Our Computerized Mat Cutters (CMC) precision-cut custom outside dimensions, custom window openings, double mats, and V-grooves to fit any frame or artwork size.
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