The Pfefferle Frame Collection

The Pfefferle frame collection is the most significant collection of historical frames in the South German region. The collection grew over a period of more that one hundred years and contains over 2000 original historical frames from almost all European countries.  It documents the history of the frame from its beginnings as a simple Gothic window frame, through all the epochs: Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Classicism, and Art Nouveau up to Modern. A particular part of the collection is dedicated to frames of the 20^th century, among others Emil Nolde and August Macke, as well as models produced according to designs by Bruno Paul and Bernhard Pankok, the architects of the United Workshops in Munich.
The gilding workshop has at its disposal a very large archive of casting mouldings and illustrations of historical ornamentations, and over 6000 technical drawings of cross sections of frames.

View into the business premises at Nr. 5 Gewürzmühl Street, Munich. Here over 2000 historical frames from Gothic to Classic Modern are on display.

The Workshop for Frames and Restoration

The collection is part of the handcraft business “Pfefferle Workshop for Frames and Restoration” in Munich. The gilding and carpentry workshops work together in close cooperation using labour-intensive handcraft methods to produce individual, true to scale replicas of historical frames with old timber and established surface treatment techniques.  As one of the few enterprises in this field, the House of Pfefferle enjoys worldwide renown. Parallel to the historical framings, works by present-day artists (Sigmar Polke, Baselitz, A.R. Penck et al.) are also framed and new frame concepts are developed (Michelangelo Pistoletto). Sometimes even the artists themselves participate in the production of the frame.  In 1983, through the connections with Modern Art, a Gallery of Modern Art was brought into being.

For further information on the company profile please go to Contact.

Exhibition in the Salzburg Baroque Museum
In 1999/2000 in collaboration with Karl Pfefferle and the art historian Christian Burchard, the Salzburg Baroque Museum displayed historical picture frames from the 16^th and 17^th centuries

Documentary by Ursula Bushnell
Within the “framework“ of the broadcast “Historical Workplaces”, the Munich film director Ursula Bushnell directed a 30-minute documentary film about the Pfefferle Frame Workshops for Bavarian Television’s Channel 3.

With the greatest care the casting mouldings and the ornament tracings are stored in the gilding workshop.