Preservation of Historic Stained Glass

by Gwynne

I came across a blog entry on Hewn & Hammered that led me to a very interesting article by the U.S. National Park Service about historic stained glass: specifically in old homes and how to date it, photograph it, clean, preserve, and repair it. The article is titled Preservation Brief 33: Historic Stained Glass.
I had no idea that this sort of information was available from the National Park Service. The article, written in 1993 by Neal A. Vogel and Rolf Achilles, is absolutely fascinating.

I was most interested to read the details about the history of stained glass in America, which is necessary to know in order to properly date historic stained glass. I also learned intriguing facts about the composition of lead came and the reasons that it has changed several times from medieval times to modern times.

This is an excellent essay containing a great deal of technical information, yet written in a clear and engaging style. I will be adding this site to my History of Stained Glass page.

Stained Glass History and Rose Windows

by Gwynne

Recently I have been looking for a rose window frame to make a rose window.

There used to be a company in Oregon called the Rose Window Company that made sets of various styles of rose window frames for artists and hobbyists to use to make rose windows. I have been trying to locate therm with no success. I guess they have gone out of business.

While searching for information on the Rose Window Company I came across Mezalick Design Studio. They have an interesting article with great photos about a restoration they performed on a Tiffany Rose Window in a church in Germantown in Philadelphia, PA.

They also have a very detailed and interesting article on the history of stained glass. I have added a link to this article on our History and Museums page.

Oh, and if anyone has any information on the whereabouts or status of the Rose Window Company, or if you know of any other company that sells rose window frames, please leave me a comment. Thanks- Gwen

Red Rose Stained Glass Pattern

by Gwynne

roseredoval.jpg
O, my love’s like a red, red rose,
That’s newly sprung in June
— Robert Burns, A Red, Red Rose

~
The rose is a traditional favorite in the garden and has also become a favorite subject for works of art and stained glass is no exception.

There are 100 to 150 species of rose, with thousands of hybrids and cultivars.

The rose is the national flower of England and the United States. It is the state flower of four US states: Iowa, North Dakota, Georgia, and New York. Portland, Oregon is known as the “City of Roses” and holds an annual Rose Festival. It is also the provincial flower of Yorkshire (white rose) and Lancashire (red rose) in England, and of Alberta in Canada.

In recognition of the favorite flower for the month of June here is a rose stained glass pattern, displayed in shades of red. It is available in black & white jpg, color jpg, and Glass Eye 2000 format. Consider purchasing an oak frame, then size the pattern to fit the frame. This will add a professional and beautifully finished look to your work of art.

Roses are also the basis of design for the Gothic [tag]rose window[/tag]. For a beautiful example of a rose window see the photos accompanying my May 27, 2007 post on the Cathedral of St. John, in Spokane, WA.