Kim’s Lamp Rebuild – Restoration 2016

Filed under Lamps, Repairs by on October 1, 2016 at 5:30 pm {one comment}

When we picked up this lamp it had all 4 panels broken, however the 4 drop edges were all intact. The frame holding the shade together was made with flimsy metal.

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The next photo is a close up of one of the edges which also shows the flimsy tin frame. The panel above this piece has also been removed. As the bottom edges were all intact we photographed each side after numbering each piece as well as marking them to ensure that when rebuilding this lamp that all went back together in it’s original places.

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The following photo shows all 4 edges after taken them apart, cleaning, foiling (with Venture Black Backed 7/32 Copper Foil), along with placing the bottom edges on a piece of Morton Layout Blocks to ensure a straight bottom edge.

stainedglassedgeskimslamp2016

The picture below shows the poor workmanship and the wobbly support stem for the shade.

In order to restore this lamp we had to make 4 new panels using Spectrum’s Light Amber Lamp Mix # 318-05S glass. We saved the vase cap and when rebuilding the lampshade we used Venture’s 1/4 inch Black Back Copper Foil. In addition to providing much needed support and long life of the lampshade we installed a 4 way spider.

Our client mentioned that the lamp shade was not supported very well, so we put in a longer standard size 3/8 inch threaded brass rod, which together with the spider support and 4 brass nuts  2 top and 2 bottom, plus a washer secured the lampshade to the lamp base in a very strong manner.

Another specific reason for the longer brass rod was that the lamp’s light bulbs were very close to the lampshades glass and their heat could have been another factor as to why the lampshade glass cracked.

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Once the shade was rebuilt, the new solder lines had black patina applied, then the whole unit was cleaned with Kwik Clean and then polished with Clarity Stained Glass Polish. We installed new appliance light bulbs 2 for the lampshade and 1 inside the base stand.

Our client was more than please with the end result and she now has a rebuilt, restored tiffany style lamp that will provide her with years of pleasure.

stainedglasskimslamp2016

Lamp Rebuild & Restoration by Bob & Flory Wilkins

Elephant Repair 2016

Filed under Mammals, Repairs, Sun Catchers, Wildlife by on September 13, 2016 at 5:30 pm {no comments}

A client in Calgary has had this Elephant suncatcher for many years, unfortunately the thin wire hanging rings that were attached to the outside foil eventually came apart from the sunshine window heat.

Luckily the piece was rescued before falling and breaking. We then soldered fine silver chain into the reverse seams, followed by patina touch up, cleaning (Kwik Clean) and polishing (Clarity Stained Glass Finishing Compound).

The Elephant measures approximately 12 x 12 inches. The original unknown stained glass artist did a great job in using Spectrum’s Glass, unfortunately with the soon closing of The Spectrum Glass Company their glass will eventually no longer be available.

stainedglasselephantrepair2016

Designer Unknown

Alberta Rose Came Window # 2 Restoration

Filed under Old Came Windows, Old Came Windows, Repairs, Restorations, Windows by on August 2, 2016 at 12:26 pm {no comments}

This is the 2nd Alberta Rose Came Window restoration. In the first one we combined pieces from the second one to have one that was all original glass. We believe these windows are 100+ years old.

The wow factor in regards to both of these restorations is that when we delivered the 2nd window we were informed that both were going to be installed in a new home on Negril Beach in Jamaica, sometime in the not to distant future,

In the second one we had to put in all new glass for the stems, the amber across the bottom and new leaves for the left and right roses while the centre rose leaves remained original glass. Also the roses and background granite clear glass is also all original. It took us quite sometime to find the best replacement glass, but well worth the effort.

StainedGlassRoseCameWindow#22016

The following 3 photos show the left rose with new leaves, the next one is the centre rose all original glass and the last photo is the right rose with new leaves. The pink petals of the roses were a very pretty glass which was quite thick.

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CentreOriginalGlass

LeftRoseNewLeaves

Although the next photo indicates window #1 it ended up being the second one as we took pieces from it to be able to have one with all original glass.

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The last photo is of the 1st restored window.

AlbertaRoseCameWindowDecember2013

Designer unknow

Tiffany Style Lampshade Restoration 2016

Filed under Lamps, Repairs, Restorations by on July 19, 2016 at 5:30 pm {no comments}

Clients in Central Alberta had this large Tiffany Style Lampshade, however it had been damaged and they wished to have it restored for over their kitchen table. Fortunately for the lampshade  the top ring of glass was bent flat down on the top of the shade but no broken glass.

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The next picture shows the inside of the lampshade before being reinforced with wire. This was a very large Tiffany Style lampshade and was quite heavy. If these lamps are not properly reinforced they eventually will come apart and fall due to the heat generated from the light bulbs. Then the crossed centrepiece would pull away and send the lamp crashing to the table.

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The photo below shows the removal of the top crown, also note the condition of the glass. Before taking the crown apart we number and photograph in detail to ensure that it all goes back together as originally made.

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One of the side panels was badly broken and had to be replaced. Unfortunately do to the age of the lamp it was impossible to obtain and exact glass match.

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To reinforce the hanging portion of the lamp we soldered in pieces of wire attaching them to the various seams along with the copper cross portion. The picture belows details the wire being attached and before the soldering was completed.

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Before attaching the crown we cleaned and started the polishing of the lampshade.

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Here is the lampshade nearing completion.

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In the next photograph the top crown has now been attached and in the same original order.

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The fully restored lamp now hangs proudly in our clients home above their kitchen table.

StainedGlassTiffanyStyleLampRestoration2016

 

100 + Year Old Came Window Restoration 2016

Filed under Canadiana, Old Came Windows, Old Came Windows, Repairs, Restorations, Windows by on June 17, 2016 at 5:30 pm {no comments}

Brenda & her husband who live in Central Alberta, brought us this 100+ year old came window which is a family heirloom that they rescued from a century old family farm home.

This is what the window looked like when it was brought to our studio.

StainedGlassBrendaCameWindowJuly2015-001

The following picture shows the window after it was cleaned and before removal from the the wooden frame. Unfortunately there were 3 broken pieces in the rose colored border,  4 greens in the center were all cracked and or broken along with one center clear.

StainedGlassCameWindowBrenda2015

In the next photo the came window has been removed from the old wooden frame.

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In the next photo the numbered pieces # 2 top left – 4 top left center- 15 bottom right center (rose border pieces) 26 (clear center piece)  28 – 29 – 45 – 47 (the 4 center greens) were all broken.  The best alternative we could come up for the dusty rose border glass was an English Muffle Dusty Rose #4902. Our friends at Rubaiyat Stained Glass Studio in Calgary helped us to locate an older piece of clear as well as a very close matching green.

StainedGlassBrendaCameWindow2016

We take lots of photographs of these old windows before taking them apart, as well we number each piece. We set up a frame then start in one corner and work our way across the window, cleaning each piece of glass as we go along (we also re-number after clean each piece to ensure that it is put back in the window in the exact manner that the original stained glass artist installed them. Having good photographs certainly helps as we can bring them up on our computer to ensure that we have replaced each piece as it was originally placed in the window.

What we did was replace the 4 corners with the new English Muffle #4902, then carefully working with 2 of these unbroken border pieces we used them to replace broken border pieces # 4 & 15. The 4 green pieces in the center were also replaced and the 4 center clears were all replace to even out the look of the panel.

StainedGlassBrendaCameMay2016

Our clients were most appreciated of our work in restoring their family heirloom panel. They have now found an old photograph of the 100+ year old farm home and it shows 2 of these windows. They plan on residing it and there is a possibility that the 2nd window could still hidden away behind the siding. If so and they find the 2nd window there is a very good chance that it might be there in its original state with no broken glass, but no doubt will need to also be fully restored.

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