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Place of Origin: European
Willy Guhl 24" Diabolo Planter
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Concrete diabolo planter by Swiss Designer Willy Guhl. Varying degrees of patina to each planter. Available in multiple sizes and quantities.
*8 avai...
Category
1960s Vintage European Architectural Elements
Materials
Cement
$2,000 / item
1 of the 350 Handmade Antique Ceramic Tiles by Devres, France, 1920s
By Devres
Located in Rijssen, NL
This is a large set of 350 antique French handmade ceramic tiles. Manufactured by Devres, circa 1920s. Colorful pattern in yellow, red and green. These tiles would be charming displa...
Category
1920s Folk Art Vintage European Architectural Elements
Materials
Ceramic
Exceptional 17th Century Italian Pair of Doors
Located in Round Top, TX
An exceptional and truly outstanding pair of doors from the Lucca, Italy. Wonderfully constructed from polychromed and gilt wood - retaining their original mercury mirror. The doors ...
Category
Early 17th Century Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Wood
16th Century Italian Pair of Antique Corinthian Capitals
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An antique Italian pair of Corinthian Capitals from the Renaissance period, hand carved in limestone. Minor fading, scratches due to age. Wear consistent with age and use. Circa 1500...
Category
16th Century Renaissance Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Limestone
Pair of Polychrome Terra Cotta Architecturals or Wall Consoles, France, C. 1850
Located in Dallas, TX
Recently discovered in a secluded private chapel nestled within the enchanting Loire Valley in central France, this remarkable pair of mid-19th century polychrome terra cotta archite...
Category
Mid-19th Century Gothic Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Terracotta
French Style Wrought Iron Greenhouse with Door and Windows in White Color
Located in Marbella, ES
French style wrought iron greenhouse with doors and windows that open outwards in white color. Ready for glass panels to be installed.
Category
2010s European Architectural Elements
Materials
Iron
Circular Push-and-Pull Door Handle in Bronze, Mid-20th Century, France [I]
Located in London, GB
Circular push-and-pull door handle in bronze, mid-20th century, France.
A simple elegant handle, made up of two separate round pieces; each side with a slightly concave dish and wid...
Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern European Architectural Elements
Materials
Metal, Bronze
Beautiful Breche Marble Fireplace Mantel, Free Shipping
Located in Haarlem, Noord-Holland
Its a pleasure to offer this wonderful French fireplace in beautiful Italian Breche (Breccia) marble.
This early 19th century transitional (XIV - XV) mantel shows a great variety of ...
Category
19th Century Louis XV Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Breccia Marble
Bronze Push-Pull Handle with Abstract Design European 20th Century
Located in London, GB
A square push-pull door handle made of cast bronze featuring a raised abstract design. 20th century design, found in Germany.
The piece is in good vintage condition with a dark brow...
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern European Architectural Elements
Materials
Bronze
Lovely Italian Fireplace Mantel
Located in Haarlem, Noord-Holland
Very nice and colorful fireplace mantel from the Northern part of Italy.
This Italian beauty dated from the beginning of the 19th century it was reclaimed from a large estate.
Its ...
Category
Early 19th Century Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Marble
Large Period Louis XVI French Painted Overdoor or Headboard, circa 1790
Located in Dallas, TX
Originally an overdoor from a boiserie room at a French chateau, this large architectural was hand-carved during the Louis XVI period, circa 1790. The overdoor is roughly rectangular, with the exception of the stepped bottom molding, which would have been necessary to fit over the door frame.
In the center of the overdoor is a classical urn adorned with imbricated disks and gadrooning and topped with a pinecone finial. The vessel is surrounded by an ovate border embellished with bead and reel, an oval floret, scrolls, and foliage. Two bundled leaf swags emanate from the top of the medallion, flowing in opposite directions, with crinkled ribbon loosely twirled around the greenery. An additional crinkled ribbon is wrapped around the garland just before the swag feeds through a hoop and turns downwards.
Prominent molding with several thick layers surrounds the low-relief carvings, providing a nice border to the architectural panel. The wood has been painted a grayish-green color, sometimes referred to as “French gray”, which is a very neutral color that can be paired with many interior color palettes. Our Louis XVI painted overdoor...
Category
1790s Louis XVI Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Wood, Paint
Elegant French Vintage Fireplace Surround in Limestone
Located in Beervelde, BE
Elegant French Vintage Fireplace surround.
Small fireplace surround in a timeless beige limestone from the Louis Philippe period, 19th cent...
Category
19th Century Louis Philippe Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Limestone
Exquisite Rotunda Structure Kiosk Copper & Carved Stone Bench Seating Columns
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Exquisite Rotunda Structure Kiosk Copper & Carved Stone Bench Seating Columns . Monumental Exquisite refined work King Charles X Period Rotunda rotundus building structure with a circular ground plan covered by a large copper dome...
Category
Early 19th Century Charles X Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Stone, Copper
$203,000 Sale Price
30% Off
Jean Prouvé Mid Century Air Ventilation Shutter Produced by CIMT France, 1950s
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Stockholm, SE
Very rare mid century architectural air ventilation shutter element in aluminum by Jean Prouvé produced by C.I.M.T in France, 1950s. In good original condition. Comes complete with t...
Category
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage European Architectural Elements
Materials
Aluminum
Pair of Large Antique French Door Shutters from a Chateau, 19th Century
Located in Dallas, TX
These monumental arched antique door shutters were salvaged from a 19th century French chateau. They would have been on the ground floor, attached...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Iron
Antique Art Nouveau Italian Marble Sculpture
Located in Douglas Manor, NY
Hand curved Art Nouveau white marble bust of a young woman. Her elaborate hat framing a beautiful face. The style of clothing of the late 19th century Art Nouveau period. The bust rest on a round marble pedestal...
Category
1890s Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Alabaster
$1,340 Sale Price
44% Off
French Directoire Period Floral Painted Panel in Gilded Frame, circa 1790
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French Directoire period framed painted panel from the late 18th century, with floral motifs. Born in France during the later years of the 18th century, this exquisite decorative p...
Category
Late 18th Century Directoire Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Wood, Paint
Bespoke Elongated Tubular Push & Pull Brass 1960s Double Door Handles
Located in London, GB
Two pairs of elongated push & pull tubular bronze door handles. They are bespoke 1960s and came from double glass doors from a formal bank in Germany with glass doors.
The patina is ...
Category
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage European Architectural Elements
Materials
Bronze
Pair of 19th C. Zinc Flames on Wood Bases
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This pair of 19th-century finials features sculptural flame motifs cast in metal, likely zinc, known for its durability and weather resistance. Each flame form rises organically with...
Category
19th Century Classical Roman Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Zinc
English Arts & Crafts Oak Fire Surround with Flaring Cornice & Floral Carving
By Liberty & Co.
Located in London, GB
A good Arts & Crafts oak fire surround with a flaring cornice and three central shaped supports flanked by stylized floral carvings to the tops with a central beveled mirror, curved ...
Category
1890s Arts and Crafts Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Mirror, Oak
English Renaissance Carved Oak Paneled Room
Located in Queens, NY
English Renaissance (Tudor-16th Century) oak carved linen fold design paneled room with a mantle, overmantle carving and a Pair of spindle design open doo...
Category
16th Century Gothic Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Oak
Timeless French Limestone Fireplace Mantel
Located in Haarlem, Noord-Holland
Nice French Campagnard style fireplace mantel in lovely limestone.
This mantel comes from central France, burgundy area.
Its perfect size makes it possible to install this mantel in ...
Category
19th Century Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Stone, Limestone, Marble
Early 17th Century Italian Door
Located in Round Top, TX
A very handsome early 17th century Door from Venice, Italy. Doors such as this were used to cover cupboards that were recessed into the wall. Beautifully constructed from walnut. Fab...
Category
17th Century Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Walnut
Pair of Rare Italian 18' Century Marble Columns
Located in Rome, IT
This outstanding pair of " Bianco e nero d'Aquitania " precious marble columns with finely carved white Carrara marble Corinthian capitals raised on a white marble square base ...
Category
18th Century Neoclassical Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Marble
Pair of Bronze Round Push Pull Door Handles Architectural with Geometric Relief
Located in London, GB
A set round push and pull door handles with strong vertical geometric relief are like door sculptures with original patinas, produced in the 1970's.
The identical handles to be appli...
Category
1970s Brutalist Vintage European Architectural Elements
Materials
Bronze
Pair of 19th C. Painted Italian Carvings on Bases
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A pair of 19th-century carved Italian architectural elements mounted on wood bases. The Rococo style carvings showcase intricate detailing, curvilinear forms, and ornate motifs thro...
Category
19th Century Rococo Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Wood, Paint
Antique Marble Fireplace Mantel
Located in Made, NL
19th Century Louis XV Antique Marble Fireplace Mantel in Rouge Royal Belge
Origin: Boulevard de Sébastopol, Paris – A ra...
Category
19th Century Louis XV Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Marble
Early Dutch Antique Brass Bird Cage
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Early 19th century brass bird cage, circa 1810-1830
The bird cage has two bird seed containers that attaches to the cage.
Category
Early 19th Century Baroque Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Brass, Iron
$1,000 Sale Price
39% Off
Ceramic Wall Panel by Pierre Digan, to La Borne, circa 1970-1975
By Pierre Digan
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
A ceramic wall panel by Pierre Digan, to La Borne, circa 1970-1975.
The base is in wood.
Very good original conditions.
Category
20th Century Beaux Arts European Architectural Elements
Materials
Ceramic
1 of the 20 Glazed Art Nouveau Relief Tiles, Maison Helman, Céramiques d'Art
By OTHR
Located in Rijssen, NL
1 of the 20 amazing original antique Art Nouveau handmade tiles manufactured in 1920s by Maison Helman - Céramiques d'Art - St. Agatha-Berchem.
A beautiful relief and deep green, ro...
Category
1920s Art Nouveau Vintage European Architectural Elements
Materials
Ceramic
Kiosk K67 Double Yugokiosk by Saša Müchtig for Imgrad, 1988
Located in Radomsko, Województwo łódzkie
K67 is a kiosk design created in 1966 by the Slovenian architect and designer Saša J. Mächtig.
Very good contition, preserved in its original form.
2 original canopies included.
Weig...
Category
1960s Space Age Vintage European Architectural Elements
Materials
Fiberglass
Large Lateral Push Pull Door Handle of Cast Bronze
Located in London, GB
A large lateral push-pull door handle of abstract Brutalist design. European, second half 20th century.
A striking piece - made to span the full width of a door - formed from cast ...
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern European Architectural Elements
Materials
Bronze
18th Century French Country Hard Limestone Antique Fireplace Surround
Located in Beervelde, BE
French country hard limestone fireplace mantel which is specially commissioned for a vigneron, a person who cultivates grapes for wine making. The hardness of the stone reflects the ...
Category
Early 18th Century Louis XIV Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Stone
18th C. Pair Hand Carved Wood Statues Wall mount Sculpture Regal Big Cats Lions
Located in West Hollywood, CA
18th C. Pair Hand Carved Wood Statues Wall mount Sculpture Regal Big Cats Lions .Exceptionally detailed high quality Large pair of Wall Art lions , outst...
Category
18th Century Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Wood, Fruitwood
$30,000 Sale Price / set
30% Off
Brass and Cast Iron Antique Pump and Spout Mounted on Wood, c. 1900
Located in Ross, CA
Antique French brass (plated over copper) well pump mounted on wood with a cast iron handle. Made in France by Delacroix by around 1900. the brass stamp reads "pompes delacroix " la...
Category
Early 1900s French Provincial Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Brass
$316 Sale Price
41% Off
French, 18th Century, Carved White Marble Capital With Angel Head
Located in Buisson, FR
Spectacular hand-carved white marble capital with angel head.
Beautiful weathered white marble .
France circa 1750
Weathered
Measurements include the wooden pedestal
Category
18th Century Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Marble
$3,079 Sale Price
34% Off
Murano Glass and Chrome Small Double Door Handles
By Seguso
Located in London, GB
Pair of small double door handles in solid glass hand blown Sommerso Murano glass with centre in chocolate brown and outer ring in clear glass fitted to a chrome sleeve attributed to...
Category
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage European Architectural Elements
Materials
Brass
FOUR Individual Ceramic Delft Wall Tiles Hand Painted, 19th Century
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
These are four attractive individual Delft ceramic wall tiles, dating to the second half of the 19th century.
All tiles are nominally 5 inches square and 5/16 to 3/8 inches thick....
Category
19th Century Dutch Colonial Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Ceramic
Two Dormer Windows in Cast Iron from the 19th Century
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Two 19th century polychrome cast iron dormer windows
in very good condition
Beautiful patina.
Category
19th Century Napoleon III Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Iron
Brutalist Pair of Bronze Door Handles Push & Pull with Abstract Relief
Located in London, GB
Set of two rectangular bronze door handles with abstract Brutalist relief and irregular textures, European 1970s. Their relief with original patina is expressive and will give real p...
Category
1970s Brutalist Vintage European Architectural Elements
Materials
Bronze
19th Century French Olive Green Boiserie Panel
Located in Mckinney, TX
A beautiful mid-19th century, architectural wood wall panel retaining the original worn pale olive green paint. Each of the three panels is decorated with raised beveled trim details...
Category
Mid-19th Century Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Wood
1 of the 86 Authentic Glazed Art Nouveau Relief Tiles Rose, Belga, circa 1930s
Located in Rijssen, NL
This is an amazing set of antique Art Nouveau handmade tiles with an image of yellow rose in relief on a soft yellow background. These tiles would be charming displayed on easels, fr...
Category
1930s Art Nouveau Vintage European Architectural Elements
Materials
Ceramic
Wrought iron balustrade
Located in COULLONS, FR
Wrought iron balustrade
- price is per unit
- Width excluding fixings is 98.5cm
- One piece weighs approximately 9Kg
Category
Late 19th Century Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Wrought Iron
$275 / item
19th Century Italian Antique Column in Marble
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
We offer you this splendid antique Italian marble column. A perfect column to become the fulcrum of your home decor.
Characterized by a double-order structure on a high base with a ...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Marble
1 of the 42 Art Nouveau Tiles, by Gilliot Hemiksem, Belgium, circa 1930's
By Gilliot
Located in Rijssen, NL
1 of the 60 Art Nouveau ceramic tiles by Gilliot Fabrieken Hemiksem, Belgium, circa 1930. Beautiful original antique tiles with a chrysanthemum in relief. The tile shows a soft yello...
Category
Early 20th Century Art Nouveau European Architectural Elements
Materials
Ceramic
Pair of Painted Antique Columns with Corinthian Capitals
Located in Sheffield, MA
The pair of antique Corinthian columns are painted with a marblized effect on each base and shaft and have black capitals, above which are ce...
Category
Mid-19th Century Classical Roman Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Wood
Antique Italian/French Gothic Grotesque Gargoyle & Cherubs Brass Door Knocker
Located in San Diego, CA
Very unique antique cast brass Italian/French Gothic cast brass door knocker. Great design and form featuring two cherubs and a grotesque gargoyle. ...
Category
Mid-19th Century Antique European Architectural Elements
Materials
Brass
$960 Sale Price
20% Off
Gaudi Ceramic Tile Hand Painted Colors
By Theia Tiles
Located in Lisbon, PT
Laced blankets, crochet throws and knitted mantles are at the heart of Gaudí. Handmade is the focal point to the Gaudí tile, where soft lines create a we...
Category
2010s Modern European Architectural Elements
Materials
Ceramic
$503 / item
Fossil Stone Marble Table Top with Loads of Ammonities and Squids Inlays
Located in Halle, DE
Spectacular rectangular tabletop with fossil-inlays in style of Heinz Lilienthal. This offer contains just the tabletop, no base. You have to bulid/organize your own base for this Be...
Category
1980s International Style Vintage European Architectural Elements
Materials
Marble
Selection of eight restored 19th C Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Windows
Located in Leuven , BE
The Color Experience: Stained-glass windows
“Color is a power which directly influences the soul” (Wassili Kandinsky, Moskou 1866 – Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1944)
“Color! What a deep and mysterious language, the language of dreams!” (« La couleur ! Quelle langue profonde et mystérieuse, le langage des rêves », Paul Gauguin, Paris, 1848-Fatu-Hiva, 1903)
‘Color and feeling’, ‘color and meaning’, these are concepts that have gone together since time immemorial. Artists and craftsmen have a special bond with color. After all, it is a means of expression that can have a real reinforcing effect. Especially linking color with light offers unlimited possibilities. Glaziers and glass painters have tried to master both these ‘instruments’ for centuries.
The set of beautifully restored neo-Gothic windows in our collection are enough reason for us to let these works of art figure in a broader story. As a bonus, we would like to introduce you to the contemporary stained-glass artist and stained-glass restorer, Daniël Theys. whose workshop is in Sint-Pieters-Rode (Belgium). He talked to us about the materials and techniques he used for the restoration of our set of neo-Gothic stained-glass windows. A fascinating look at the tricks of the trade from a specialist!
A bird’s eye view of the history of the European stained-glass window.
Although the Romans already used translucent glass plates to cover wall openings, the stained-glass window reached its peak in Europe between 1150 and 1500. A period also known as the era of the cathedrals. At that time, stained-glass windows became more than just a way to let in the light, and to keep the space closed off. From now on, their functionality was also found in their didactic value. The biblical and saints’ stories that adorned the stained-glass windows became a kind of poor man’s bible. They brought, as it were, the knowledge of the holy scriptures in an understandable, pictorial way. At the same time, the colored light provided additional symbolism. The invading light was interpreted as a manifestation of God. It is also no coincidence that the main altar was bathed in light. It was the place where the most important sacrament was celebrated, that of the Eucharist. How were these magical colors obtained? Well, during the 12th and 13th centuries, metal oxides gave color to the glass. Copper, for example, produced different colors in the various stages of oxidation. The metal could color the glass light blue, green and even red. It should be noted that from the 13th century onwards, clear glass, which was cheaper and at the same time allowed more light into the buildings, was used more often. A century later, in the years 1400 to 1500, glass painters frequently painted onto the glass with a ‘stain’ of silver chloride or sulfide. The painted piece of glass was heat-treated in a furnace. The heating process ensured that the silver ions migrated into the glass and became suspended within the glass network. The stain gave colors ranging from a pale yellow to a rather deep red. This new technique allowed glaziers to get more than one color on a single glass fragment. The shades produced by painting in silver chloride were well suited for depicting golden crowns, scepters and other gilded objects and ornaments. But the most important advantage of the technique was the fact that the glass painter could now make transitions from yellow tones to white without having to apply separations with lead strips! This also improved the legibility of the pictured scene.
You can imagine that the labor-intensive process of the production of stained-glass windows was a very costly affair and therefore it was often patrons who donated them to a church or a chapel. The benefactors were usually eager to propagate their social status and were moved by concern for their salvation.
In the 16th century, stained-glass windows also began to appear in secular buildings such as town halls, the homes of the wealthy and commercial premises such as inns. It is striking that during this period the use of lead strips that border many parts of the image was further reduced in favor of real painting on stained glass. This was due to an increasing love of detail. For example, one wanted realistically painted portrait heads. Working with enamel paints was cumbersome. Each newly applied color had to be burned into the glass before another color or overpainting could be applied. It was not only the coloring of the glass that was complicated, the process of obtaining flat glass plates required many steps as well. The glazier blew a glass bulb with a blowpipe and then cut it open. Finally, each half of the sphere was turned around so fast that it became a disc. In later periods, the glazier blew out his glass bulb into a cylinder. Once the cylinder had cooled, its closed ends were removed, and the long sides were cut open. The pieces of glass obtained were then heated and flattened. During the 16th century, there was a division of labor between the stained-glass designer, the glazier, and the glass painter. It happened as well that the stained-glass artist used prints as models for his stained-glass windows. Whoever drew the design, the glazier always needed a model on the right scale, the so-called cartoon. On the cartoon, the lead strips were clearly marked, and the use of colors was indicated. Contracts at the time show that the price of stained-glass windows was calculated per square foot. The price per square foot included the labor and material costs. The price of the cartoon was not included.
In the 17th century, the work of glass painters remained important. At the same time, there was a growing popularity of stained-glass windows with heraldic themes. In the Low Countries there were several high-quality glass painters active.
During the 18th century, glass painting went downhill in our regions. The French occupation of the Southern Netherlands resulted in the destruction and sale of religious stained-glass windows.
It was only around the middle of the 19th century that the young Belgian state experienced a revival of stained glass. The renewed interest in the Middle Ages, the so-called ‘gothic revival’, caused a wave of restoration of old stained-glass windows of churches and orders for neo-gothic stained-glass windows. The Sint-Lucas art schools in Belgium played an important role in this. Industrial developments in the glass and steel industries naturally had an important hand in the popularity of stained-glass windows. Stained-glass had a wide range of uses; think of stained glasses in winter gardens, domes, windows, and doors of large mansions. Significant glazier’ studios arose in several larger Belgian cities. In Brussels, for example, you had the workshops of Capronnier and Colpaert, in Bruges the studios of Coucke and Dobbelaere, in Ghent the companies of Ganton-Defoin or Ladon. During the 19th century, glaziers followed the style developments in the visual arts. For example, the number of windows in Art Nouveau and Art Deco style is large. The restored stained-glass windows with male and female saints that we offer for sale, come from a building in Laeken, near Brussels. They probably decorated the space of a church, chapel, convent, or Catholic school. In the results of the interview with glass restorer Daniël Theys, you will learn more about the particularities of these splendid windows.
Chatting and browsing in the workshop of Daniël Theys
The Belgian Glass restorer and glass blower, Daniël Theys (), made a career switch at a later age and has been active in the profession since 1987. He is an important player in the field of stained-glass window art in Belgium. Moreover, he is the only one in the country who still masters the technique of glass etching. Daniël Theys receives many commissions from small parish churches to restore old stained-glass windows to their former glory. He made a name for himself in that niche and that is how Spectandum brought the set of 19th century stained glass windows to his workshop for reconstruction. They were delivered in old numbered wooden crates and Daniel had to start puzzling.
Numbered wooden crates with sections of the stained-glass windows
Normally a glazier starts working from a drawing with a scale of 1:1 (full size drawing), but in this case each piece had to be cataloged and photographed. The smaller pieces were grouped on the light box and photographed in their entirety. Then Daniël made a drawing of the remaining pieces that he had puzzled together with great care.
Smaller pieces identified and grouped on the light box
The restauration guidelines of the Agency for Monuments and Landscapes are not always the same as those of a restorer. For this reconstruction, Daniël primarily considered the purpose of the stained-glass windows. It had to be an aesthetic and salable set of stained-glass windows, so the choice of filling the gaps with neutral glass or epoxy was not really an option. Theys left well-executed previous restorations untouched. The windows may have been repaired three or four times in the past.
Piece of a cloak with glass shards from different periods (restorations)
Another problem Daniel faced during the restoration was the fact that some small parts of the old grisaille had been eaten away by microorganisms. The defect – caused by moisture – can be seen from the discoloration of the grisaille. The black-brown color is turned red.
This fragment shows well how the brown grisaille has turned red due to the attack of micro-organisms
The stained-glass windows of the 19th century are made of ‘in the mass-colored’ glass. This means that the colors were added to the liquid glass during its production process. This type of glass differs from glass colored with enamel paint, which became popular from the interwar period. The latter process involves applying enamel paint (this is a glass powder with a metal oxide to which a medium has been added) to the colorless glass. When firing the glass with the enamel paint, the powder fuses with the glass. The colors of email painted glass are less intense and less brilliant than those of ‘in the mass-colored glass’.
Jars with colored powder for the enamel paints
For the restoration Daniël only worked with mouth-blown glass, both with ‘in the mass-colored glass’ and with ‘verre plaqué’. This is blown glass composed of several layers of different shades. Over the years, Theys built up a large stock of old blown glass. Colored blown glass always has sliding shades. For example, a red piece of glass can have a color transition from bright red to light orange. These differences in shades are the result of the different thicknesses of the piece of glass. It allows the glazier to use a wide variety of shades.
The purple-red foliage with light blue accents was obtained by etching away parts of a piece ‘verre plaqué’. A small part of the lower glass layer is exposed.
The windows were completely re-leaded by the restorer because there was virtually no ‘lead net’ preserved. In general, lead strips only have a limited lifespan because of oxidation processes. Daniël removed the old lead remnants and placed new lead profiles. Then he applied putty between the glass fragments and the lead strips to seal the lead. A window must be made watertight. The current condition of the windows is excellent.
Decorative glass part with original lead remnants
New lead strip
The set of stained-glass windows we present today, originally consisted of windows of 5 to 6 m high. After all, they originally adorned a neo-gothic church. Since the original dimensions are not suitable for private buildings, it was decided to only restore the figurative representation.
The original spire of one of the windows
Thanks to a suspension eye, the window can be hung. There is also the possibility to place the window in an upright position.
Thanks to the craftsmanship of the Theys-Studio, we can once again enjoy the brilliance of color!
Looking for the missing link
The set of 19th-century stained-glass windows came into the possession of Spectandum without a clear provenance. The renowned Leuven antiques dealer, Cornelius Engelen, recalls that the windows came from a church in Laeken. There is no solid starting point for a search for the provenance. Based on the style of the stained-glass windows – most probably the late 19th century -, their religious iconography, and their original shape (pointed arch windows) and dimensions (5 to 6 cm high), we can assume that they were once displayed in a (neo-)gothic cult building. On the one hand, the stained-glass windows may have been removed after storm damage or other calamities, on the other they may have been taken away during a renovation or a demolition of a church. The Church of Our Lady in Laeken is the most famous church building in that municipality that could qualify. In the early 1920s, the central windows of the transept were badly damaged by a hurricane. Today, glass fragments of these windows (dating from 1893-1894) with the names of the sixteen missing saints and an arch infill of the western window are officially known. It would be interesting to find out if our set of eight saints once were part of the transept of Our Lady in Laeken. Research in the records of the church administrators could provide clarification. Knowing that most neo-gothic stained-glass windows from the Church of Our Lady come from the Jules Dobbelaere’s glass studio in Bruges, it is useful to consult that company’s archive as well. It is kept in the KADOC (Documentation and research center for religion, culture and; in Leuven. Of course, the sizes and shape of the stone window openings of the transept can also provide an indication. If we stylistically compare the grisailles of the set of stained-glass windows with the work of Jules Dobbelaere, we do see some relationship. Especially with a stained-glass window in the chapel of Our Lady of the Saint Anthony Church in Aalst.
Another line of research that we could follow, is that of the iconography of the series. One of the saints depicted is Saint Roch. There once was a Saint-Roch church in Laeken with 19th-century stained-glass windows from the Brussels studio of Jean-Baptiste Capronnier. The company archive of the glaziers François and Jean-Baptiste Capronnier is owned by the Flemish government and can be consulted in the above-mentioned KADOC. We already searched the sales catalog of 1892, in which Capronnier’s drawings and cartoons are described one by one. The saints that are represented in our set of windows, does not correspond with the names of the saints mentioned for the church of St. Roch in Laeken. Building on this argument, it can be concluded that the eight saints were not destined for this house of worship.
In the absence of lavishly illustrated monographs on the various glazier-companies in Belgium, the execution of a comparative study of the stained-glass windows is time-consuming and complex. Although a limited number of old photos of stained-glass windows can still be found in the database ‘Balat’ of the KIK-IRPA (), this remains far too limited to get a good picture of the output of the various companies.
19th C, Saint, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with Saint Martin, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm
Most people know Saint Martin (Szombathely, ca. 316 – Candes, 397) as the Roman Tribune who cut his cloak in two with his sword and gave one half to a beggar. The artist of the stained-glass window has opted for a different, less common iconographic representation here. Saint Martin is presented as a bishop with a miter and staff. According to a legend, Martin was lured to the city of Tours with a trick to consecrate him as a bishop. He refused the ecclesiastical office and hid in a barn with some geese. The birds betrayed him with their twittering. In the end Martin received his episcopal consecration. The goose at the feet of the saint clearly refers to this event.
19th C, Saint, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with St. Angela, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm
Angela de Merici was an Italian woman who taught young women religion, health care, and household skills. She founded the monastic community of the Ursulines. They played an important social role as founders of schools and orphanages. Saint Angela died in Brescia in 1540. It should therefore come as no surprise that the saint on the stained-glass-window is depicted with
a girl by her side.
19th C, Saint, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with Charles Borromeo, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm
Charles Borromeo (Milan, 1538-1584) grew up in a noble family. He was already made Cardinal and Archbishop of Milan at the age of 24. With his writings he contributed to the implementation of the Church reforms determined at the Council of Trent. Among other things, he released a new catechism. With his book on the design of church buildings, “Instructiones Fabriacae et Supellectilis Ecclesiasticae”, he left a mark on Baroque church construction. At the outbreak of the plague in his diocese in 1576, he devoted himself to the care of those affected. Hence, people sometimes pray to him when they have been hit by a serious illness.
19th C, Saint, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with St. Roch, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm
Saint Roch (Montpellier, 1295? /1350? -1327? /1380?) was born with a port-wine stain in the shape of a cross on his left hip. It was interpreted as a sign from God. After the dead of his parents, he gave his money to the poor and went on to live the life of pilgrim. He cared for plague sufferers and healed some of them by making a sign of the cross. He is especially invoked as protector against the plague.
19th C, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm
Bernard of Clairvaux (Fontaines, 1090-Clairvaux, 1153) decided to become a monk at the age of 21. In 1112 he entered in the monastery of Cîtaux. He was soon commissioned by the abbot to find a new monastery in Clairvaux. Because of his intellectual capacities and eloquence, he was consulted by various ecclesiastical and secular leaders. He ensured the expansion of the Cistercian order throughout Europe. As a Doctor of the Church, he wrote many tracts and sermons and established a new rule for the Templars. Above all, he was concerned with the discipline of the clergy. Therefore, he wrote a spiritual manual for the priests and bishops. Saint Bernard can be seen as a true mystic. He envisioned the union of the human soul with God as the most important goal in life. According to a legend, Bernard once had a vision in which the Blessed Virgin appeared to him and strengthened him with her mother’s milk. In the arts, the saint is mainly depicted with an abbot’s staff and a book with the Cistercian rule. His vision was also often portrayed.
19th C, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with St. John Berchmans, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm
The Belgian Jan Berchmans (Diest, 1599-Rome, 1621) was the eldest of five children. When his mother became seriously ill, he initially took care of her, but at the age of nine he was housed with the town’s priest. After a few years he moved to Mechelen to become the servant of a canon. It also gave him the opportunity to begin his studies in the seminary for priests. He eventually joined the Jesuits of Mechelen. He got their permission to study philosophy in Rome. In the Eternal City, he visited working-class neighbourhoods to teach the children about God. He died of an illness at the age of 22. Saint Jan Berchmans is the patron saint of school children and students.
19th C, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with Saint Clare...
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19th Century Gothic Revival Antique European Architectural Elements
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Category
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Materials
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Category
19th Century French Provincial Antique European Architectural Elements
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