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Spicer Hallfield are an established and respected UK based manufacturer of image presentation products catering specifically for the professional photographer. Spicer Hallfield sell their wide range of photograph albums, frames, mounts and folders through a network of distributors both in the UK and worldwide as well as having an on-line ordering and purchasing facility.
We have two UK manufacturing sites, located in Buckinghamshire and West Yorkshire.
Q. What is Spicer Hallfield Classic
Our CLASSIC brand and products pay respect to our heritage and the pioneering designs that are as popular with photographers today as they were when they launched. These products are true design classics that can be seen in many thousands of studios and homes around the world. New products are being continually added to the CLASSIC range, designed on the same principles of the understanding and knowledge of our customers needs as the originals. They will be tomorrow's classics.
Q. What products are in Classic?
Most of the products have been selected from the existing Spicer Hallfield catalogue, chosen for their enduring style, popularity over a number of years and current ratings in the sales figures. Other products will migrate into the range from EYE as they become established or no longer viable for that brand. New products will be introduced on an ongoing basis and some are already included.
Q. Where can I buy Classic?
There is no change to how you buy the Classic products they are all available from our distributors and via the store on this web site.
Q. Where can I buy my normal SH Products?
Some existing Spicer Hallfield products do not appear in the Classic brand but still form part of the overall Spicer Hallfield collection, they can be purchased in the normal way either on line or via our distributors.
Q. Are you increasing prices this year?
We will be holding prices on all CLASSIC products until the release of our new catalogues on 1st June 2008. From that date we will increase prices across all products by 4% only. All new prices will be clearly noted in the catalogue.
There will be no further changes in pricing until March 2009.
Q. Are sample albums available?
Yes samples can be purchased at a discount on the trade price , these discounts vary depending on the particular product so please call customer services on 01844 299600 to discuss your requirements.
Q. How do we order if I don't want to use the web?
Classic products can be ordered via our distributor network. Our Customer Services team will be delighted to give you information on your closest distributor or you can look these up on the distributor section of this web site.
Q. What is blocking?
Blocking is the process used to stamp names, logos and initials onto the cover of an album, or onto individual mounts and folders. For blocking requiring a logo we will need to make a blocking die which will be charged at cost. However, this can be used for repeat orders. For names and initials we hold sets of lettering in certain font styles which we use to create your specific wording. We normally block using gold, slver or black foil, but other colours can be used subject to suitability and availability. There are three text styles available.
Q. What is the difference between a Post Bound and Book Bound album?
The two terms, post bound and book bound, relate to how the leaves fit into the album cover. For a book bound album we will fit a set number of leaves into a block and finish this with a cover. Overlays are then mounted onto the leaves. Our Post Bound albums are designed to allow individual leaves to be added into the cover, which gives great flexibility as to how many prints are shown in any album as the number of leaves can easily be adjusted.
Q. What are leaves?
We use the term leaf or leaves to talk about the pages within our albums. Each leaf can have up to two overlays mounted onto it, one on the front and one on the back.
Q. What is a blank overlay?
Where our leaves are not suitable to be left blank (i.e. without an overlay fixed to the reverse side) we offer blank overlays that have no apertures cut out of them to finish an odd side at the end of an album. This allows you to work with uneven number of sides if required, so you don’t always have to finish each leaf with a photograph and overlay on each side. Some leaves in our range do not require blank overlays when you do not mount a photograph as the finish is such that you wouldn’t notice, because they can be used double or single sided. We recommend that our Taped Edge leaves are finished with a blank overlay should you end an album layout on an odd number of sides (i.e. nothing on the back of the final leaf). Blank overlays can also be used to adapt our Elizabethan Book Bound capacities to the exact quantity of sides you need, by filling one or two sides as necessary.
Q. What album size options do you offer?
Within our Elizabethan, Handmade and Traditional ranges we have the following size options:
Countess: Maximum print size of 10”x 10” (minimum 5”x 4” in a multi-aperture overlay).
Minor: Maximum print size of 8”x 8” (minimum 5”x 4” in a multi-aperture overlay).
Princess: Maximum print size of 7”x 5” (minimum 6”x 4”). Created primarily as Parent albums, these would usually be offered as either a second album in a wedding package, or an economical option for those with a limited budget.
Consort: From a maximum of 5”x 5” down to 5” x 3 1/2”, consort albums are often scaled down replicas of Minor or Countess albums, again intended as Parent albums.
Within our Avanta Collection we produce larger format albums allowing individual A3 or 16” x 12” prints to be mounted on a page, with a wide selection of multi-aperture overlays leading the move towards innovative storybook layouts.
Q. How many pages fit into album covers?
The spine width of any post bound album dictates the maximum capacity of leaves (pages) that can be held. Throughout our website and printed literature we use the following abbreviations for spine widths:
NS Narrow Spine Up to 10 Taped Edge leaves with 2 overlays, WS Wide Spine Up to 25 Taped Edge leaves with 2 overlays, EWS Extra Wide Spine Up to 34 Taped Edge leaves with 2 overlays. Some Traditional post bound albums are available in an Expandable Spine (EXP), up to 50 Paste On leaves with one overlay (available in Countess and Minor size only).
Q. What do you mean when you quote a size for a mount or overlay?
When an overlay or mount is described as a certain size (eg: 8x6) we are referring in fact to the size of the print that the mount/overlay is designed to take. So the actual aperture will measure slightly smaller than the size quoted, and the overall size of the mount/overlay will be considerably larger; varying depending on the chosen style.
Q. What fonts can you block in?
We have three fonts available for blocking on albums:
And three fonts for blocking on mounts and folders, available in different sizes:
Q. Can I have an album made that is not in your standard range?
We can offer a service called Creative Options, where our production team manufacture individually specified products, taking elements from one album design and mixing it with elements from another. You may want the cover material from the Elizabethan Black Roma, and want a Handmade Tolkien plaque added to the front design. To simplify the pricing on all Creative Options we add one simple additional charge of £15.00 per album, regardless of the number of changes. Choose the nearest equivalent album, in size and material, from the price list and add £15.00. Certain restrictions apply due to manufacturing processes, and you cannot trade up from a smaller sized album to a larger size, but must use a change of material from a similar album in size and price point instead. For photographers who require 10 or more identical albums with Creative Options on one order we will waive the £15.00 per album charge.
