100+ Year Old Came Window Restoration 2022

This came restoration was completed in mid 2022. This window measured 36 inches wide by 16 inches high and we believe it to be well over a 100 years old based on information from our client.

There was only 1 piece of glass that was cracked and we were able to get it glued together with a special stained glass glue, with the help of our friends at Rubaiyat Stained Glass Studios in Calgary.

This window now hangs proudly in our clients home in Central Alberta.

The following picture shows the window in its original wooden frame which was weathered and worn beyond repair. We took many photos of the window, numbering each piece and the after careful cleaning of each piece of glass we put it all back together with new lead came, cement, patina and polishing.

The next picture shows the window all ready for the came joints to be soldered.

Designer Unknown nor date when initially made

Information Update re: Old Came Window Restoration 2022

Our client has now installed the restored window into a very old building that she has turned into a wonderful workshop and studio. The location is NE of Halkirk, Alberta and her company’s name is Woolgathering.

Congratulations to Carmen, who persevered to take an old run down building and turn it into a very warm and welcoming studio for her business.

Here are 3 pictures, one of the building as was, then the redone interior along with the restored came window now installed back into the 1910 building.

 

 

Old Came Window Restoration 2022

This very old came window measured 20 x 16 inches. At some point in its history someone used a glue gun to seal the came lines on both sides of the glass. (Refer to the third picture below to view). We had to take much care in slowly removing this glue, pulling gently with pliers and/or fingers all the while using an X-ACTO knife blade # 11 to slowly cut the glue away from the glass.

One had to be extra careful to ensure that counteracting forces would not cause the glass to crack or break, especially the smaller curved pieces on the top portion of the window.

The next picture shows the window restored and replaced into it’s very old wooden frame, which was in very good condition given its age. Our client is putting this window back into a 1910 building, that is in good condition, which she is going to use as a studio.

Our client wanted us to somehow preserve the pink paint which was an interesting task as the glue tended to want to lift it off the window frame while we removed the glue. In addition she wanted the wooden molding holding the window in its frame, to be preserved as well.

The next picture shows the window with the glue on the various seams. This further created more glue removal problems as the thickness of the glue on both sides of the window, made removal even more difficult due to the uneven surfaces.

The restoration work requires photographing the window a number of times to ensure that the glass pieces return to their original place.

Designer unknown

The Burroughes Family Crest Circa 1895 – 1906

Back in 2017 we were asked if we could restore this very old family crest – refer “110+ Year Old Family Crest Restoration” published on our Windows of the West Stained Glass website last October 23, 2018.

The following picture is of the completed Crest. There were 2 panels – the bottom one measured 23 1/2 inches wide by 30 inches high and top panel was 21 1/2 inches high. Combined the 2 panels were over 50 inches in height not counting the custom made laminated maple wooden frame.

Please note the Latin wording on the crest “Sua Cuique Voluptas” which has the meaning of “Everyone has his own pleasures” or “to teach his own pleasure”

The History of Henry John Frank Burroughes as provided by the Burroughes family members.

Henry John Frank Burroughes was born in 1864 in the Parish of Kentish Town, (now part of London England) in the County of Middlesex, England.

He was the eldest child of John & Jane Burroughes. At the age of 13 he was apprenticed to a firm of Stained-Glass Window makers, where he received the sum of 2/6 (shillings/pence) per week, rising to the sum of 15/- at 19. I believe that at the age of 21 he then earned 2 English Pounds (quid as it was commonly called) per week and his salary remained at that figure until 1914. The outbreak of the Great War caused the firm to close, as there was a declining popularity for stained-glass, and by then it was considered a luxury trade.

Times were very hard in those days, and if the firm had no orders in hand the men were just laid off with no pay. This was a great injustice as he was a skilled craftsman. Henry’s father was killed by a runaway horse, so being the eldest son he had to contribute money to his mother, until she died at 88.

The stained glass family crest was made by Henry John Frank Burroughes in England in 1906. It was in the Burroughes family England home for many years, until it came to Canada in the 1940’s. Then approximately around 1948 it was gifted to Lakefield Boys school – details are sketchy but outlined in the next paragraph is information that was provided by a volunteer who worked in the archives of the Lakefield College School, Lakefield Ontario.

“There is a new window in the east wall of the link between the dining-room and New Wing. It is a stained glass window and was donated by Mr. F.E. Burroughes the father of Grant. It is the work of Grant’s grandfather (Henry John Frank Burroughes) who enjoyed a reputation in England and Europe for his skill as a stained glass artist.”

Current History 

We understand from our clients that eventually that wing of the Lakefield College School was going to be torn down and the family was asked if they would come and retrieve the stained glass family crest if they wanted it and that is what they did.

Our clients brought the stained glass window out west to Vancouver in 1993. They had a stained glass artist friend who thought they could restore it in the 90’s. That never happened. Eventually the stained glass window was picked up in 2004 and remained in Sylvan Lake until 2017.

In 2017, our clients brought it to our studio and we said we were quite willing to tackle the restoration of this historic piece of family stained glass.

Henry John Frank Burroughes was our clients great grandfather.

We and our clients mused that this was an opportunity to restore the family crest. “De.ja vu” is that Bob Wilkins was born in London, Ontario in the County of Middlesex.

The following photos of the crest show it’s condition when we received it and we started with restoring the top portion first.

We number each piece and photographed the panel. Panel #’s 5,6,11,13 were all broken and at some point in time # 3 was replaced with that color hue piece. We were lucky to find a piece of Light Rose Brown glass manufactured in Poland many years ago. It have very similar color and hue but not quite the same texture but was as close to the original as we could find.

The panel was then completely taken apart and rebuilt from the bottom up, using the broken pieces etc as patterns for the new glass where necessary.

Each piece of glass was scrubbed clean using warm soapy water. #0000 steel wool where necessary, along with Mother’s Choice Natural Hard Surface Cleaner which is made from fine pumice and does an exceptional job in cleaning stained glass that has been exposed to the elements for decades.

The next photo shows the panel ready for soldering of the joints and the new 1/2 inch zinc came frame

After soldering of the joints, cementing the lead came, cleaning with whiting, allowing time for the cement to cure and harden, we then cleaned the came with #0000 steel wool (Any higher rated steel wool will scratch the glass) applied black patina. The panel was then cleaned with Kwik Clean and once dry we applied Clarity (Kemo-Pro) stained glass polish, buffing with soft cloths, along with using toothbrushes to get at all the polish residue especially around joints and very necessary when polishing glue chip and rougher glass surfaces.

The bottom portion being the Burroughes Family Crest was in very poor condition, with many broken pieces along with some of the fired crest pieces being cracked. Besides replacing the broken border pieces we redesigned the four corner pieces of the crest where all of the glue chip was broken, so as to prevent that occurring again in the future. Between the reddish interior border and the larger lead came frame, the majority of the clear glass was broken and we decided to replace all with an old Kokomo #33 GCP made in 1991.

We also had to match similar reddish border glass surrounding the outside of the crest.

Due to the age and the unknowns that we might encounter with this restoration we soaked the crest in a kids wading pool for quite some time to soften the old came and cement making it much easier to take apart. We were very glad we did as there were some cracked pieces. Also there were numerous thickness of the glass used especially the fired top left red piece as it was only 1 mil in thickness, while others were 3 mil and 5 mil.

The last picture shows the restored crest before cleaning and polishing. We were most fortunate to be able to call upon the decades of experience in the stained glass business of David & Crosby Haight of Rubaiyat Stained Glass Studio in Calgary, for helping us find old glass replacements. Several of the fired pieces were cracked and they helped us in using a special ultraviolet glue to glue the cracked fired pieces back together. This special glue dries clear and is very strong. The fired pieces of glass in the family crest were irreplaceable and great care was taken to ensure none were lost in the restoration process.

Original by Henry John Frank Burroughes circa 1895-1906

Restoration by Bob & Flory Wilkins 2017-2018

Repair of 120 + Year Old Panel 2019

Our client found this very old came panel in the attic of his 92 year old father’s shop and he had no idea it was there. The story is that they used to be part of his great (or great-great) grandfather’s home in England.

The panel had held together quite well over the decades except for the 1 broken piece in the center. We were able to find a very close match with a Small Hammered Spectrum # 100HS. On the reverse side we carefully bent the lead came back, made a pattern and fitted in the new glass. Then after bending the came back, we soldered the joints and cemented in the new piece of glass.  After using whiting and Kwik Clean to clean the off years of dirt and grim we applied Clarity Polish.

As this panel with it’s frame was over 4 ft wide we could only stand it up in our window to photograph the finished panel, which then required flipping the picture with our Picasa 3 system.

It is our clients intention to hang this panel in their new home under construction and eventually he will provide us with a picture. We also understand that there is another one these panels completely intact and all it needs is to be properly cleaned and polished.

Designer Unknown Repair/Restoration by Bob & Flory Wilkins

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