Angels of Praise Window Restoration

Two of our largest Tiffany windows were cleaned and restored in 2008-2009. In September 2008. the caulking around the glass in the Rose Window was replaced, the window cleaned and a new clear protective backing was placed over it. The old one had actually fallen off and was lying in pieces on the roof. The new backing contains ventilators, which allow for the flow of air and prevent build up of condensation. This work took place before the winter months. Additionally, the leaded glass windows in the cloister were re-caulked and sealed and ventilators were placed in the windows of the sanctuary and narthex as well as the “forgotten” Tiffany window in the dining room.

The Angels of Praise stained glass window will celebrate a centenary anniversary in the Fall of 2009. Work has recently been completed on the cleaning and restoration of the Angels window on the Union Street side of the church. In the beginning of May, scaffolding was erected on the roof of the Union St. narthex. Workers began to work on the Angel Window, removing the old yellowed backing which over time had almost become opaque. Arthur Vincent and Sons Cathedral Stone Cleaners came and applied a chemical paste to the stone tracery to remove the years of grime. Next, the stained glass was painstakingly cleaned and re-caulked. A new clear backing was placed over the window. Like the Rose Window, this backing also has ventilators. With the uninterrupted flow of light, colors have appeared in the window that have not been seen in at least 20 to 30 years.

The considerable cost of the project was sponsored by the Heritage Fund and two current members who made donations directed specifically toward the window restoration. In this way, our members from the past enabled the members of the present to preserve our treasured windows for the members of the future.

Workers from Lamb Studios erected the scaffolding on the exterior needed to work on the window. You can also see the worker applying the mixture used to clean the stonework.

The work is now complete and you can see below the finished window with a properly vented Lexan cover to protect it.

All photos courtesy John Gottschall