Conservation of Stained Glass in America : A Manual for Studios and Caretakers

The shimmering, iridescent glow of vibrantly-colored glass is dimmed & damaged by a century's dirt & neglect. It is time for America's heritage of magnificent stained glass -- installed in churches, public buildings & countless homes -- to be restored to its original beauty & strength. Designed & installed a hundred years ago during a time of great enthusiasm for stained glass, the natural aging process has affected the structural network of the windows. They have begun to buckle & bow, as well as show other signs of distress on the incomparable luster of their surfaces. Dirt has crept between the pieces of glass, smudging faces & blurring inscriptions. The putty that held the glass in place has dried & fallen out. Often well-meant but overzealous cleaning has caused damage. But few owners of stained glass windows understand either their construction or how best to go about preserving them. CONSERVATION OF STAINED GLASS IN AMERICA is a complete guide for both the owners of stained glass windows & for artists & studios who restore them. Its examples & illustrations are focused on American stained glass, even though many of the techniques were developed in Europe, where stained glass has a long & noble history. In the United States however, the glass itself is different than that made in Europe. The problems & solutions are different, too. The author, Julie L. Sloan, pioneered many of today's standards in stained glass restoration. To order: Art in Architecture Press, Inc., Tonetta Lake Road, Brewster, NY 10509. 914-278-2187.Julie L. Sloan is the author of 'Conservation of Stained Glass in America : A Manual for Studios and Caretakers', published 1995 under ISBN 9781884966019 and ISBN 1884966012.