Lancelot Sheldrick

About us

Lancelot Sheldrick was born in Cambridge and has lived and worked in the area all his life. He started his own business soon after graduating from Bradford Art School with a degree in Art & Design. On leaving college he learnt the craft of framing in Bury St Edmunds and was able to set up his own small framing workshop through the kindness of an old friend, who still owns and runs the Cambridge Pianoforte Centre.

Hidden treasures

His fine art training has been useful on many occasions, in identifying art works for customers. Recently he cleaned an oil painting and revealed a hidden signature beneath the dirt, he was able to identify the painting and reveal its true value.

Customers have also been grateful to occasionally be given back two paintings for the price of one framing or restoration. Lancelot often says 'it is like a time capsule' opening the back of a picture, which may not have been touched for over 200 years.

There is very often interesting documentary evidence abou the work or artist and sometimes, if you are very lucky, another painting or drawing hidden underneath.

This photograph of the 19th Century portrait of an officer before cleaning, shows overpainting on his forehead. The client believed that he had it altered as he aged, because he looked a little unkempt. Cleaning revealed his boyish good looks, with a full fringe of unruly hair.