Frame Restoration
Most damaged frames can be restored to life, unless they are so bad as to be completely beyond hope! The decorations on frames are sometimes thought of as being made of 'plaster', but in fact the material used should be known as 'composition'. This was invented in France in the 17th century and brought into Great Britain by the Adam Brothers, who objected to the high cost of carving!
When repairing a damaged frame, or replacing missing pieces, we use composition made to the same recipie. It is amazingly versatile, being soft and malleable when fresh but rock-hard when try. It doesn't much like central heating, which tends to cause shirnkage cracks, and definitely doesn't like getting wet. A damp shed is the worst possible place for a composition frame! However a carved frame will have its losses made good with wood, as it is important to repect the integrity of the piece.
Sometimes frames have been painted, often with gold paint, to 'improve' their appearance. This can be removed, and we often find that the surface underneath is perfectly acceptable, or in need of only minor restoration.