Restoration Assistance

From time to time glass workers help each other out.  I send things to other people who are better at some aspect of work, or for which I don't have the time to complete in the timescale.  Other people send me things which they need help with whether because of time pressures or because of equipment which I have and am willing for them to use.

Currently, we are in the process of helping with the restoration of some church windows for another worker who does not have the time to complete all the aspects of the work.  We are helping out by doing the re-leading of these 11 windows in 22 panels.

The cartoon ready for leading

Leading in process

One panel soldered

Vandalism on Historic Windows

I was called out to view and advise on the necessary repairs to an historic window recently.

Right side light undamaged

As I approached the building, I finally knew where the image a photographer had given me years ago as he was cleaning out his files.  He did not remember where the photo was taken other than in Glasgow.

The painted and leaded figure of the right panel.

This pair of windows are almost certainly designed by David Gauld (1865-1936) "an important Scottish artist (in both oils and stained glass), being one of the great innovators within the Glasgow Boys. a painter who designed a number of windows for stained glass firms in the 19th century". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gauld

He was one of the group of artists known as the "Glasgow Boys" and did most of his stained glass designs for Guthrie and Wells.  These elements make this window one of the important windows from the period in private hands.

Of course, vandals do not question the beauty or importance of the objects they deface or destroy.  In this case the painted figure was left undisturbed, but the lower parts were badly damaged.

Upper part of the damaged section of the left panel

Lower section of the damage

Fortunately, the coloured glass is largely unbroken.  However a large seedy roundel with a green tint is broken and a replacement will have to be made by a company that can reproduce both the colour and the "seedyness" of the original.  Matching the texture and tints of the more common glass will prove difficult too.

It is a window with such a pedigree, that I hope various historical trusts will contribute to the expense of a proper repair.

Just a Note

Just a note of self promotion.

My recent blog post has been taken up by The Ecclesiastical and Heritage World for re-publication.
you can see it here.