Knowing the size of the frames you have would help us come up with ideas. Also I would love to see a picture of them please.

Putting old photos behind glass is iffy - they need breathing room and even then I'm not sure that's considered safe. Many years ago my mother used the same kind of frame you have, covered the backboard with a fabric with a visible weave and stitch-tacked antique leather Persian Ganjifa playing cards to it. It was unbelievably cool - wish I knew what happened to it. The cards had scenes on them, like this

Just - the frames are not hanging and not convenient for me to get to at this time. Here's one from ebay that is very similar. These frames were often used for portraits. DLM - I have a bunch of old snapshots, A BUNCH, some are duplicated, so I could probably go that route and not worry about it, but that idea doesn't really excite me either, LOL.

hmmmm, I tried to copy the picture and it didn't work. I'll add the link, sorry.vintage frame

Sound like you've got something sort of like this in mind?

I think if you have any old items that belonged to your grandparents - handkerchiefs, brooches, tatting, hand-held fans, etc., the antique bubble frames would be the ideal place to frame them, creating shadowboxes.

Well, unless you wanted to get creepy and frame something like this in them instead ...

;-)

I googled antique oval frame shadow box and got lots of ideas. There probably is a name for the bowed glass, so you could refine by that, too.

Shadow boxes

I don't know if these are your style, but this shop makes custom pieces:

Cameo art

Look for ideas using the keywords - vintage, convex glass (or bubble glass), oval frame.

Jenn! I didn't thank you for that second one. LOL

Thank you all for trying to help. I wish I had saved a picture of what I saw! I know I looked through a bunch of Christmas decorating mags before throwing some out, I'll have to go back through those. The picture I saw was not really a shadow box type. Looked to be a collection of something - what I really couldn't see!

Tina, thank you for the link. I did know what type of frame/glass you were speaking of. Being a fan of the Victorian Era I knew of convex glass picture frames. Though I was hoping to see a picture of yours, what I thought would helpful was knowing the size yours were to help with what to put behind them.

Thanks Just. I would say mine is approximately the same size as the one in the ebay pic. As I mentioned, I'm emptying out my grandparents house (from 50+ years) and things are here, there and everywhere. I don't even remember what my grandmother had in these particular frames. Before my mom passed away, she dabbled in antiques (had a booth or two), and some of her things were moved to the basement at my grandparents. It's possible these were hers. Convex! I couldn't remember! My grandmother had two that I do remember but they were more a smooth, wider frame and there was a picture of my grandfather as a child in one and I think the other had his mother's picture. She had two huge gesso frames - one holds my maternal great-grandmother's portrait. I am not into Victorian, I'm more cottage, traditional, eclectic LOL. Thanks for all the suggestions!

My hubby's Mom has one in her living room, but for the life of me, I can't remember who the picture is of.
With that large of a frame you could do a collage of photos and things that belonged to your Grandparents and/or Mom, or any family member/s. I think that could fit into your style.
We live in a Victorian Revival home. I love MCM furniture, so I'm slowly replacing the furniture with things from that era or more simple lines that fit well with it. yes, I know, those styles are almost polar opposites, but it's what I like.

tina i can't find the photos I'm looking for. Frustrating. I thought I saved them to pinterest, but they're not there.

Anyway, one was of framed horse show ribbons, hanging behind a display of vintage loving cup trophies. The other was sterling flatware hanging by ribbons. Pretty for a DR. Maybe I saw them here on GW?

Pocket watches hanging from ribbons might be cool too. Or medals.

For a bedroom or walk in closet rhinestone buttons could be so pretty.

ETA link

Just, I'm a firm believer in doing what you like!

Gardner! You are thinking more in line of what I saw! I love the rhinestone buttons. Or even other old buttons! I will have to look at your link. Thank you so much! I better decide where I'd hang it first!

I'd find a picture of my grandparents and make a copy and put it in the frame along with maybe some kind of montage. My friend has one of the cards she got for her wedding, over 50 years ago. I'd definitely google it to come up with some ideas for a theme. I'd definitely use some beautiful old things that may be past their prime, like hankerchiefs, book jackets, cards, etc.

We have that in common then Tina. I'm not sure what others would think, but I like the mix of styles. Hubby hasn't said he doesn't, so that's a good sign. LOL

Haha Just! My hubby is pretty good about leaving the decor choices to me. Luckily, he also loves antiques, so we don't often have a problem. I like a mix of styles too.

Thank you all - I'm really not wanting a montage/collage type picture. I am fortunate to have many things that belonged to my grandparents, including pieces of furniture. I have their first bed in a guestroom. I also have tons of family pictures.

Maybe pick a theme for family pictures and do a collage?

The glass like that is referred to as Bubble Glass or Convex Glass. You're lucky you have those frames, I had a vintage ribbon doll from the twenties or thirties that I wanted to frame with one of those frames and it took me awhile to find the right one. This was many years ago, before Ebay and Etsy. i eventually did, and I