The Challenge
The challenge of restoring the Angel window was exacerbated by the presence of cold paint over the background and the border. Before restoration there were large areas of the window that appeared black with no light or color coming through. The window currently faces northwest and receives no direct sunlight. The window's previous location (now the parish hall) faced directly to the South. There was some documentation that a previous Pastor considered the window too bright. The cold paint was obviously not original and a decision was made to remove it.

The Solution
Considering the poor structural condition, it was necessary to fully restore the window. This included the complete disassembly of the window, sash restoration and the design of new protective glazing. The cold paint was easily removed before disassembly with isopropyl alcohol. After disassembly the glass was thoroughly cleaned and deposits of dirt removed from between the layers of glass. Broken glass was rejoined using either silicone adhesive or small copper foil joints. The poorly matched glass of previous repairs was also replaced with several layers of glass that matched the original.

The shattered head was recovered from a previous restorer and was edge glued with epoxy. After much research on similar Tiffany Angel heads, a piece of glass was painted to match the detail of the missing area.

The window was reassembled in leads that matched the original in size, profile and custom trimming in the figurative areas. The structural deficiencies were analyzed and flat steel bar grids were added to the back of the window to correct the problem areas.

The window was reinstalled in the opening with allowances to avoid frame distortion from future settling of the building. The protective glazing is a single layer of 1/4" laminated safety glass with screened soffetted vents to allow proper air flow between the stained glass and protective glazing.

 

The before and after restoration photographs speak for themselves. The window has been returned to the artistic vision intended by the Tiffany Studio.