Carolyn,
From your description, it seems that you are describing what is known as
"foxing," brown spots developed on iron which was in the paper from the
point of manufacture or which has migrated from the associated mat board.

The first thing you should do is remove the print from the framed
environment, remove the mat and back mat, and have a talk with a local
picture framer or paper conservator.

The foxing can be made inconspicuous by bleaching but it cannot be
removed; bleaching only converts the iron compounds from a visible to an
invisible state and distributes the iron further into the paper; when the
conditions of high humidity and temperature recur, the foxing can come
back worse than it was before.

At this point, unless the damage is very disfiguring, I would advise that
you replace all framing material (except for the frame) and do that every
two to three years while you are in a high humidity region of the country.

Jack C. Thompson
Thompson Conservation Lab
Portland, OR
www.teleport.com/~tcl

On Fri, 4 Oct 1996, Caroyln Breedlove wrote:

> Okay, I've been on the list for quite a while, but a little shy about
> leaping in.  The flying squirrel finally did it, so here goes (no,
> seriously, I hope he does get immortalized somewhere, somehow).
>         The object in question is part only of my personal "collection," if you
> will:  a Cape Dorset Eskimo print from the early seventies.  It was
> professionally framed, sealed, with non-glare glass in California in 1974.
>  Never had any problem with it (other than worrying that it might fall in
> an earthquake), kept it out of direct light, out of indirect as much as
> possible in a home setting.  Now I live in Louisiana ( for the last 7
> years, actually), and hideous brown spots are appearing on the paper.  Not
> any directly on the printed part, but they do seem to be gradually
> multiplying.  It certainly appears to be mildew of some sort.
>         What should I do?  Can the spots already on the paper be removed?  Are
> there any home remedies I can undertake without destroying the whole thing?
>         Thanks for any advice.
>