making a frame for my Hiroshige..  

Essentially true, but...
there are various materials and methods used in "archival" framing that can more than adequately protect a small, lightweight work from the kind of physical shock likely to be caused by the type of handling bj has described. Hiroshige prints in good condition are surprisingly durable owing to the quality of the papers used.
I'm not trying to start anything and I know you know about framing, Adam, but we're getting into hypotheticals here when neither of us has had the advantage of inspecting the print in question.