ANTIQUE
WINDOWS
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ORIGIN
HISTORY
PACKING AND SHIPPING
RESTORATION
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
BROWSE GALLERIES
Stained Glass Copyright
The
stained glass windows photographs on this web site are of
antique windows which have been removed from old houses
in the UK . These photographs are the registered copyright
of easyboo.com - COPYING IS NOT PERMITTED
Some
Useful Information On Stained Glass
The
stained glass windows on this web site with few exceptions
have been removed from old houses in the UK . Where possible
the Town of origin and dates both of installation and removal
are given. Many of these windows are works of art and it
is sad that the artists
name is not recorded.
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION | REFUNDS AND RETURNS
POLICY
Easyboo.com
Has for some time sold antique windows
on Ebay.com and
welcomes you to view
the comments of previous purchasers.
For comments and items currently on
auction click on the Ebay logo
Most of our customers prefer to purchase directly from our antique windows web
site.
Here they have a huge selection to choose
from and discounts are often available.
We are proud to say that the majority
of our customers make repeated purchases.
We are members of Square Trade but go beyond even their stringent
fair trading requirements.
If you are in any way dissatisfied with your purchase it can
be returned at our expense for a full refund.
All methods of payment are available. Direct credit card via
our secure payment pages, bank transfer,cash or any form of
payment directly to a bank. You can even use Paypal without
an account when you are buying from Easyboo.com
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INVESTMENT
INSIGHT
For many years now the drafty old houses of England
have been systematically brought up to date with double glazing
systems thought necessary for the comfort required by today's
society. This has meant the removal of many many precious works
of art , sometimes of considerable antiquity. The quality of
glass used in many of these windows will never be repeated
as processes involving the mixing of metal oxides, sometimes
along with dangerous substances such as arsenic, is no longer
allowed.
The time is fast approaching where all of these
old houses have been replaced or renovated. This means that
the major source of these valuable antiques will disappear.
Replicas of the design of these old windows never
look as good when made with modern glass. This is recognized
by discerning people who only want original stained glass made
with that beautiful depth of color only obtained with the old
manufacturing methods.
The consequence of coarse will be a considerable
rise in the the value, particularly of the more beautiful windows.
This is all ready happening.
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Use And Display
A matching pair of stained glass windows of
the right size hinged together make a wonderful fire screen
particularly if they are contained in original sash frames and
therefore already have feet.
When fitted in a lightweight frame nicely stained
and polished these works of art can be hung like paintings.
The most popular method of display is to stand
an antique on the sill of an existing window. Easyboo
now fit 2" wide frames instead of shipping
frames for a small charge. This lifts the window to let the
maximum amount of light through.
A single window is often beautiful in a sliding
frame for a serving hatch but three together, one static on
either side with a slider in the middle can be magnificent.
Built inside toughened double glazing make a
great feature for the wall of a swimming pool.
And of course what about the summer house or
gazebo, the shower divider or even in an external wall to turn
letting in the light in to an art form
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HOME REMODELING
RESIZING YOUR WINDOWS
THE DESIGNER APPROACH TO ENJOYING ANTIQUE STAINED
GLASS WINDOWS
Hanging these beautiful antiques in front of
an existing window gives a very pleasing result. Many people,however,
like to make them a more integral part of their home and even
alter their architecture to suit the window.
A less drastic solution is to resize the window;
this can be carried out in most cases using antique glass from
windows beyond restoration. If we do not have the antique glass
then we do have access to hand made replica glass from a specialist
company.
We will be only too pleased to help you find
the right solution. Our antique glass restorers have combined
and resized many antique windows in a way that maintains the
integrity and beauty of the antique while satisfying the specific
needs of the customers project.
We would also be pleased to advise on the best
way to use antique widows to suit both interior decor and architectural
requirements.
Glazing bars can be added if required to add
strength. These are necessary only in special circumstances.
We can also set your antique between two sheets
of toughened glass if this is required for safety or insulation.
Uk customers refurbishing period homes may
require the services of specialist flooring contractors.
May we recommend Designer
Flooring Ltd for your Period Floor
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History
In the first quarter
of the twelfth century, a German monk, who adopted the pen name
Theophilus, wrote a
description of the
techniques of making stained glass. The basic methods have hardly
changed. Glass was
made by melting
sand, potash and lime together in clay pots. The glass was colored
by the addition of metallic
oxides - copper for
red, iron for green, cobalt for blue and so on. This is called
pot-metal glass. Pot-metal glass,
especially red glass,
was often too dark to transmit much light. To overcome this,
'flashed' glass was made by
dipping a lump of
white glass on the blowpipe into a pot of red glass and then
blowing, This provided sheets of
glass with a thin
surface layer of co lour. Later, parts of this layer could be
removed by grinding with an abrasive
wheel; this produced
two colors, red and white, on the same piece of glass. Because
paper was scarce and
parchment very expensive,
the full scale outline of the design for a stained glass window
was drawn out on a
whitened table top.
The designer would indicate the principal outlines of his drawing,
the shape and color of the
individual pieces
of glass to be used, and the position of lead strips (calmes)
that would eventually hold all the
pieces of glass
together. The panes of colored glass were cut to shape with
a 'grozing iron' and laid on top of
the drawing. Through
the glass, details of the drawing - faces, hands, drapery etc.
- could be seen and these
details were traced
with an iron oxide pigment on the surface of the glass. After
painting, the pieces were fired in
a small furnace for
sufficient time to fuse the paint to the surface of the glass,
and then re-laid on the table and
assembled by the
glazier, using strips of lead H-shaped in section, which allowed
the glass to be slotted into the
grooves on each side.
The lead provided a strong but flexible bond. The intersections
of all the lead strips were
then soldered, and
an oily cement was rubbed into all the joints in order to make
them watertight. The panels
were then held in
place in the window openings by a grid of iron bars set into
the masonry. From the early
fourteenth century
a further range of colors varying from a pale lemon to a deep
orange could be achieved on
one piece of glass
through the discovery of 'silver stain', a silver compound painted
on the back of the glass and
then fired in a kiln.
By the mid sixteenth century many different colored enamels
were being used. As a result,
windows began to
be painted like easel pictures on clear glass of regular rectangular
shape, with lead calmes
no longer an integral
part of the design. These methods prevailed from the seventeenth
to early nineteenth centuries.
However, the earlier
techniques were revived in Victorian times.
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Packaging
and Shipping
NO USA
CUSTOMS DUTY IS PAYABLE ON OUR ANTIQUES
Our packaging for
export has proved itself on many occasions and is practically
bounce proof.
Shipping prices
quoted are air freight and are fully insured against loss
and damage. Delivery from 2 days.
If you are in any
way dissatisfied with your purchase you can return the goods
at our expense and obtain a full refund refund. (excludes
where we have made alterations to your specification)
For an individual
quote on multiple orders E-mail SALES giving
the # numbers.
A tracking or shipping
number will be e-mailed to you on dispatch of order .
If you would like to order a number of items
shipping costs can often be reduced by making one package.
Customer satisfaction is guaranteed but please
ask questions if you are uncertain about anything.
You may be charged import duty
on items which are not antique. Local taxes could be levied
on any item.
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RESTORATION
Stained glass windows are not a high technology production
but are manufactured by hand at every stage of the process.
Hand rolled glass has, by its very nature, many imperfections
even when newly manufactured. These imperfections add to its
character and verify its authenticity and are what makes it
special. There are often ridges and irregularities in the glass.
Lumps bumps color variations,air bubbles,miss shapes and valleys,
all adding to the attraction of the piece.
Glass does not deteriorate with age like other materials
although the surface can become ingrained with dirt nicotine
or other chemicals from an industrial environment.
Our restorers give a large amount of attention to cleaning
as part of the process of preparation before we offer an item
for sale; a specialist polishing process is then applied to
return both the glass and the lead came's to their original
lustrous condition. Where it has been necessary to remove the
window from its original frame, as often is the case, the outside
edge came's will often be damaged and are then renewed
completely. If undue deterioration of the lead came's has occurred
then the window is completely re leaded. The result is
an beautiful antique which you will be proud to own.
Often pieces of glass making up pattern repetitions are cut
from slightly different looking pieces of glass. Two pieces
of glass cut from the same sheet could often be significantly
different in color and texture. In addition to variations in
manufacture it is quite common for repairs to have been made
during the long life of a window these may or may not be apparent
on inspection depending on the the skill of the repairer and
the availability of identical glass. Badly executed repairs
are rectified by our restorer before being offered for
sale.
On removal from their final resting place as they are replaced
during renovation breakage's often occur, these are always
repaired using matching glass before being put up for sale.
They are carried out by our professional restorers before being
photographed and placed on our web site.
Some bowing of the glass due to shrinkage of the frame is
a not uncommon occurrence. If this is more than minimal the
window is re leaded an polished as previously stated.
Original frames are normally covered with a number
of layers of old paint. Loose and flaking paint is removed
from the frames but they are not stripped. Many of our customers
prefer to purchase windows still in their original frames and
carry out their own renovation. The glass an lead came's must
be in good condition before we sell them when the old frames
are retained.
When the original frames are not re used we install the window
in a pine shipping frame with mitered and screwed corners.
Although intended primarily for securing the glass during shipping
many of our customers find the frame profile and the workmanship
acceptable enough to use as they are, for hanging, or structurally
in internal walls. If ,however, you would prefer a carpenter
made hardwood frame we can arrange this for a small extra cost.
Easyboo has a growing number of repeat customers who are
more than happy with what they have purchased. We would like
you to join their numbers.
