A Lifetime of Helping People Hear the World
Every so often, a framing project comes through our Brisbane framing store that reminds us just how meaningful memorabilia can be. Recently, we had the pleasure of working on a unique piece for a customer who spent more than thirty years in the audiology profession. Throughout his career, he helped countless people reconnect with the sounds of everyday life; conversations, laughter, music, and the comfort of familiar voices.
To honour that journey, he brought us a collection of vintage hearing aids and audiology selection guides he used during his early professional years. These pieces represented not only the tools of his trade, but the evolution of hearing‑aid technology over time. And to bring a little humour to the design, he asked us to include a small plaque reading:
“In the event of power outage, break glass.”
It was the perfect blend of nostalgia, craftsmanship, and personality… exactly the kind of memorabilia framing project we love.
From Clinic Drawer to Display Frame: A Story Worth Sharing
These hearing aids and reference cards had lived quietly in storage for years. Some were used for fittings, others for demonstrations, and each one told its own story about the people they helped. Our customer wanted a display that felt respectful yet playful - something that could hang proudly in his home or office.
He also wanted the framed piece to reflect the era of the devices; practical, clean, and slightly industrial. That guided many of the design choices we made throughout the process.
Designing the Layout: Clean Lines, Clear Focus
Before any mounting began, we created several layout options to help him choose the best arrangement. The audiology selection guides - yellow, blue, and red - naturally created a strong visual sequence, so we experimented with placement and spacing until everything felt balanced.
The hearing aids themselves all differed slightly in size, curvature, and profile, so their spacing needed careful attention to achieve symmetry without losing individuality.
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In the end, the clean horizontal structure won; technical, tidy, and visually grounded.
Mounting Without Adhesives: A Conservation Framing Approach
Because the pieces were meaningful and irreplaceable, the customer specifically requested that no adhesives be used. This is something we’re always happy to accommodate, and it’s usually the best approach for special items.
Wire Loop Mounting
To secure the hearing aids safely, we created custom wire loops that cradle each device without applying pressure or risk of damage. This technique offers three important benefits:
- Fully reversible - the items can be removed intact at any time
- Non‑invasive - no glue, no residue, no contact with fragile surfaces
- Discreet - the wires are hidden behind the mounted objects
We also ensured that the longer, corded device on the right could rest naturally within the display without placing strain on the original wiring.
Selecting the Right Frame Materials
This piece called for materials that were both durable and visually understated, allowing the items themselves to take centre stage.
Moda Black Frame (Made in Italy)
Elegant, solid, and contemporary - exactly what you want for a technical display with a touch of personality. Moda Black’s sleek finish gave the design a polished, museum‑like quality.
Pebbled Black Matboard
The texture of the Pebbled Black matboard added depth without competing with the small, delicate objects. It also provided excellent contrast with the beige and metallic tones of the hearing aids.
Tru Vue Ultra Vue Glass
We chose Ultra Vue for its superb clarity and low reflection, ensuring every detail, from the tiny curves of the hearing aids to the printed data on the selection guides, remains visible and crisp.
Bringing the Frame Design Together
Once everything was mounted and aligned, the frame came together seamlessly. The bright vintage guide cards added colour, the hearing aids added shape, and the plaque added heart. The final piece is more than memorabilia… it’s a tribute to decades of helping people reconnect with the world around them.
The Power of Framing Your Story
At Frame Today, we love framing items that tell a story including a personal history, professional pride, or a milestone worth remembering. Every object has a past, and the right frame can turn it into something worth sharing.
If you have memorabilia like this - tools of your trade, mementos from your career, or objects that remind you of someone important - we’d love to help you display and preserve them for a lifetime.
Visit us at your nearest Frame Today store to explore what’s possible.
