Brooklyn Stained Glass Conservation Center

The Studio's conservators have restored the majority of the 7,000 square foot ensemble of figural stained glass that was created by William J. Bolton between 1844 and 1888. The cycle of windows is the first of its kind in America and has been declared a National Historic Landmark. The windows are national treasures considered by architectural historians to be comparable to those at Canterbury and Chartres. The studio also restored the flamboyant wood frames housing the glass and designed and installed an effective protective glazing system to protect the fragile painted images.

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Planting Fields Aurboretum State Historic Park Oyster Bay, NY Condition Assessment, Research on Provenance and Restoration History of 48 stained glass panels located throughout the Mansion. The windows date from the 12th to the 18th Century and were fabricated in Germany, England, France and America. Restoration of (4) windows produced in the 16th Century Design and installation of an internally vented protective glazing system. Design and fabrication of a display to educate the public about 16th century glass painting, enameling and staining. The studio also presented several tours and lectures about the stained glass collection and it's restoration.

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Full restoration of 6 circa 1805 stained glass windows in an iron / lead structure located in this NY City Landmark Historic House. Morris-Jumel Mansion, Manhattan's oldest house, was headquarters to General Washington in September and October of 1776. These windows are thought to be the earliest existing examples of this type of glazing in America.

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The studio was commissioned to restore a (16) Renaissance stained glass window created in France during the early 16th Century. The windows were donated to the school by the Hearst Family and reside in the School Chapel. The studio also designed a new frame that replicates the original installation while allowing the sections of glass to be easily removed for future study. The studio also designed an isothermal protective glazing system.

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The studio has restored 2 windows created by Tiffany Studios and 3 windows created by Benjamin Sellers. This ongoing restoration project has provided internships for French conservation specialists who each spend 6 months in Brooklyn restoring stained glass windows created during the American Opalescent movement.

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The Studio designed and built a hidden support system for a synagogue window from Krakow, Poland that was almost completely destroyed during Kristallnacht and now resides in the museum's permanent collection. The glass was at once stabilized and left shattered and torn as a reminder of this savage event.

The studio restored the Miriam and Jubal window, designed by William Jay Bolton, for permanent installation in the museum's Charles Engelhard Court. The Studio restored and installed Bolton's Christ Stills the Tempest window for the exhibit Art in the Empire City, 1825-1861.

The conservators restored a window and two Transoms created in 1889 by Tiffany Studios. They also designed and installed an internally vented isothermal protective glazing system.

Founded in 1654, Shearith Israel is the oldest congregation in the United States. In a small chapel onsite, the synagogue still has some of its original furniture and finishes. The Studio restored a set of Tiffany leaded glass door panels in the chapel as well as a matching, leaded exterior window.

For the exhibit Being William Morris, the Studio created a lecture series and offered guided tours by Senior Conservator David Fraser. On tours, Fraser led visitors through the Gothic Revival windows in the Church of the Incarnation at 35th St. and Madison Avenue. The Church houses a series of windows by the period's leading designers, including Edward Burne Jones, William Morris, Henry Holiday, John LaFarge, and Louis Comfort Tiffany.

The Irish Government's FAS program hired David Fraser to give conservation training to a group of Irish craftsmen. Fraser focused upon ethics, current materials and their usage, protective glazing, and paint conservation methods. FAS supports specialized training for artisans to protect their national treasures.

The Studio performed a comprehensive condition survey on five newly discovered windows created by William J. Bolton between 1848 and 1850, including assessments of their painted images, lead, and glass. The survey provided recommendations on conservation priorities and suggested methods and specifications for a crucial protective glazing system.

The Studio helped the museum write specifications for a new vented glazing system that protects the glass and objects in the museum without altering the appearance of the original bronze frames. The Studio prepared a comprehensive condition survey of four windows collected by J.P. Morgan, installed in his private study and removed during World War II. The survey provided recommendations for the conservation and reinstallation of this set of ancient painted glass panels.

The Studio was commissioned to assess the condition of the Cathedral's stained glass and to participate in the development of a restoration plan for the windows.

The Studio contributed craftsmanship and conservation services to the Rothman Studio for the restoration of the Wisdom window created by John LaFarge in 1887. Wisdom is one of two windows created by LaFarge for the Ames family. These windows are considered to be the largest and most intricate designed by this pioneer of the American Opalescent movement.

Restoration and maintenance of the Porch Windows at this 18th Century NY City Historic House and Mayor's Residence. It is one of the oldest surviving wood structures in Manhattan and a member of The Historic House Trust.

CONFERENCE