alternatives to matte board in framing?

I have a couple of standard fibre warmtone prints that I'd like to frame but
I'm just not happy with their appearance when matted (mostly that I dont
like the look of black, white, or other colors next to the print). I've
frequently wanted to imitate the appearance of paintings when framed (in
that the edge of the artwork is directly adjacent to the frame). With
prints, I can't seem to figure out a way to do that.

I have to separate the print surface from the glass, obviously, but could I
use, for instance, a brass shim instead of matte board?

Can anyone comment on the reactivity of brass or the effect on the archival
properties of the print when brass is used it this manner?

Thanks,
Jon
Received on Thu Jul 15 10:14:25 2004