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Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

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Technique: Hand-Crafted
Vintage Charcoal Rubbing of Thai Musicians
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage Thai Temple charcoal rubbing. Hand crafted temple scenes at the Wat Pho temple located in Phra Nakhon district in Bangkok Thailand...
Category

Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Paper

Antique Vase Made of Japanese Bamboo and Bark /Wall-Mounted Flower Vase
Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba
If you want something special, we recommend purchasing items selected by Brood. We sell carefully selected old Japanese items. I've seen tens of thousands of items so far. Based on that experience, only selected items are posted here. We are able to do this because of our long experience. There may be items on the 1stdibs site that look and feel the same, but the items selected by Brood are unique. This is an old Japanese vase...
Category

Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Bamboo

1950s Spanish Folding Screen / Room Divider in Gilt Metal
Located in Barcelona, ES
Faux bamboo foliage folding screen, wrought iron, gold leaf, Spain, 1960s Eye-catching gilt metal three-panel folding screen or room divider with faux bamboo ironstructure and foliag...
Category

20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Metal, Iron, Gold Leaf

Rarest Arts & Crafts Crafted Picture Frame with Litho, Christ Carrying His Cross
Located in Lisse, NL
Exceptionally hand-crafted picture frame with station of the cross lithograph by Eugene Jouy 'Editeur'. This handcrafted antique frame is in a style that we have never seen before a...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Gothic Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Glass, Wood, Paper, Oak, Ash

1900s Moroccan Brass Tray Star Etched Collectible Polished Platter 22.5 in. D.
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Antique 1900s Moroccan hand-hammered brass tray, intricate artwork, very fine Islamic metalwork brass hand etched designs with a five pointed star in the center. Handcrafted decorati...
Category

Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Brass

20th Century French Vintage Wall Plaster Relief of Artemis
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A vintage wall relief or panel depicting Artemis molded in French Plaster, in good condition. Not recommended for exterior use. Minor fading, due to age. Wear consistent with age and...
Category

Late 20th Century French Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Plaster

Ceramic Link Chain Wall Sculpture
Located in Attleboro, MA
Chains echo different emotions in us, some see them as a symbol of imprisonment, and vulnerability and some see as an emotion of inter connectivity and strong bond between the people...
Category

2010s American Organic Modern Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Ceramic, Stoneware

Morphos Butterflies Glass Box Frame
Located in Paris, FR
Frame Ulysse Morphos glass box wall decoration with real Ulysse butterflies from bredding farms in Peru. Under box frame in clear glass. Exceptional and unique piece made in Fr...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Peruvian Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Glass

Morphos Butterflies Glass Box Frame
Morphos Butterflies Glass Box Frame
$8,554 Sale Price
20% Off
Josef Hoffmann Jugendstil Wiener Werkstaette Art Nouveau Coat Hook, Re-Edition
Located in Vienna, AT
Very elegant handmade coat-hook. Literature: Waltraud Neuwirth, Wiener Werkstaette – Avant Garde Art Deco, Industrial Design, 1985 Vienna p. 49. Different hooks are available see pi...
Category

2010s Austrian Jugendstil Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Brass

20th Century French Vintage Wall Plaster Relief of England
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A small vintage French coat of arms or shield, featuring a trio of lions at the top left and bottom right representing England, in good condition. ...
Category

Late 20th Century French Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Plaster

A Study of Thomas Gainsborough's Portrait Of The Welsh Actress Sarah Siddons
Located in New Orleans, LA
A charming later Victorian textured canvas applied to wood, study of Thomas Gainsborough's three-quarter portrait of the Welsh actress Sarah Siddons, presented in a period Ebonized c...
Category

1890s English Late Victorian Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Giltwood, Wood, Canvas

Fabscarte Handmade and Hand Painted Wallpaper, Ginko Bianco
Located in Milan, IT
- This product is priced per square meter. Please contact us for assistance with square footage calculations. - The lead time depends on the quantity of the order. Inspired by the l...
Category

2010s Italian Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Paper, Paint

Mid-20th Century Man's Ceremonial (cofradía) Outfit, Chichicastenango, Guatemala
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Mid-20th century man's ceremonial (cofradía) outfit, Chichicastenango, Guatemala. 25" (63.5 cm) shoulder to hem by 59" (274 cm) across shoulders It is rare to find a complete ceremonial cofradía outfit in such good condition. The blue zigzag embroidery at shoulders and cuffs is said to signify that the wearer was an astrologist or day-keeper of the ceremonial Maya calendar...
Category

Mid-20th Century Guatemalan Spanish Colonial Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Wool

18th Century French Buffon Botanical Prints Composition with Black new Frame
Located in Scandicci, Florence
Composition of 18 antique botanical prints from the iconic encyclopaedia "Histoire Naturelle" Buffon 1749-1804, each print is individually matted an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Country Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Gold Leaf

Moroccan Ceramic Blue Plate, Fez, 1920's
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Early 20th century blue Moroccan Ceramic plate hand made in Fez. Handcrafted and glazed decorative ceramic bowl from Fez, Morocco. Featuring an elaborate hand-painted Moorish pattern...
Category

Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Ceramic

Large Antique Green Glass Doorstop or Paper weight, English C.1900
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful piece of green glass with an amazing bubbly interior. Most likely originally a doorstop or a paper weight Good condition. Free UK shipping
Category

Early 1900s English Victorian Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Glass

Pair Art Nouveau Bronze Relief Wall Plaques
Located in Kastrup, DK
Pair of fine Art Nouveau / Jugendstyl gilt bronze relief wall plaques, with wonderful details, mounted in walnut frames. The reliefs depict Diana, ...
Category

Early 20th Century German Art Nouveau Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Bronze

Middle Eastern Islamic Vintage Round Brass Hanging Tray
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Middle Eastern Islamic Vintage round brass tray.The handcrafted circular brass platter is decorated and hammered with Islamic Moorish designs.Heavy met...
Category

Early 20th Century Asian Moorish Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Brass

Antique Leather & Metal Rifle Rack, Wall-Mounted Gun Display with Deer Hooks
Located in Lisse, NL
Unique rifle rack with very cool and highly decorative deer sculptures. This highly decorative and great condition set for wall mounting together create the perfect rifle rack. On top they each come with a beautiful and all hand-crafted sculptures of deer heads. A rare and characterful find, this antique wall-mounted rifle rack combines rugged utility with rustic charm. Made from thick, high-quality leather and featuring beautifully detailed cast metal deer head hooks, this set consists of a left and right holder designed to cradle up to three rifles in total. Each hook is shaped like a proud stag with full antlers, bringing a classic hunting lodge feel to your space. The leather backings have aged gracefully, adding a warm patina and authentic vintage touch. Whether you're a collector, hunter, or just love rich natural textures and traditional craftsmanship, this piece makes a strong visual statement. Perfect for a cabin, man cave, chalet, or rustic interior, this rack isn’t just functional, it’s decorative wall art with a story, makes this hunting piece an absolute joy to own, use and look at. Again great value for money. Also, because perfect packing and worldwide delivery from our store to your door in just 4 days are complimentary. Maximum height x width x depth: 19 x 2.7 x 3.5 inches. We have a passion for the unique, for quality, for stylish yet practical and for craftsmanship of years gone by. Your purchases will be extremely well packaged and we look forward to serving you (again). You can shop all our 1000+ listings by pushing the button that reads 'View All From Seller'. Keywords: Vintage rifle rack, Leather gun holder, Deer head wall hooks, Rustic hunting decor, Cabin gun rack, Wall-mounted rifle holder, Stag antler hooks, Man cave accessories, Mid-century lodge style, Western or alpine interior decor, Gun display...
Category

Early 20th Century German Arts and Crafts Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Metal, Iron

Antique French Portrait Drawing of a Mother and Child, 19th Century
Located in Bristol, GB
Antique Original Charcoal and Chalk Study Depicting a Woman and Her Baby An extremely charming portrait study sensitively and skillfully executed. Framed...
Category

19th Century French Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Paper, Glass, Wood

Philip and Kelvin LaVerne Chin Ying Rectangular Coffee Table in Bronze
Located in New York, NY
Philip and Kelvin LaVerne large and exquisite "Chin Ying" rectangular coffee table in patinated and acid-etched pewter and bronze with vibrant hand-applied polychrome enamels and gol...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Bronze, Enamel, Pewter

20th Century Italian Vintage Metal Oval Wall Glass Mirror by Pier Luigi Colli
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A gold, large vintage Mid-Century Modern Italian full size oval wall mirror made of hand crafted gilded metal with its original mirrored glass, designed by Pier Luigi Colli in good condition. The metal frame is decorated with alluring details. Wear consistent with age and use, circa 1940 - 1950, Italy. Pier Luigi Colli (1895-1968) studied at the Paris L'École Des Beaux Arts Decoratifs. He returned to Turin, Italy to lead the Colli family furniture business. Today, Colli is one of the most popular furniture factories in the antique and vintage market...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Metal

Antique Chinese Hand Painted Fan with Calligraphy, c. 1900
Located in Jimbaran, Bali
A Chinese hand-painted fan with hand-painted calligraphy (with two different drawing on either side). The fan's frame is crafted from bamboo and also includes wood engravings. The ca...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Bamboo

Framed German Lithographed Portrait of a Noble Lady, German Biedermeier 1860s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
An extraordinary Original Lithograph of the a Lady. Signed by Artist. Beautiful hand crafted gilded Biedermeier Frame. We believe it is from the 1860s. Viewable picture size is appr...
Category

1860s German Biedermeier Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Glass, Wood

18th Century Italian Rococo Carved Frieze Wall Panel - Antique Oakwood Door
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An antique Italian frieze panel with flowers, vines and leaves, made of hand crafted Oakwood in good condition. The vertical door features two hand crafted round metal door pulls...
Category

Late 18th Century Italian Rococo Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Oak

18th Century Swedish Gustavian Pinewood Wall Glass Mirror - Scandinavian Décor
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A late 18th Century, antique Swedish Gustavian wall mirror made of hand crafted Pinewood with its original mirrored glass, in good condit...
Category

18th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Pine

Monumental Texas Longhorn Mounted Bull
By Bud Jones Taxidermy
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This was found on a Ranch in Texas and is signed Bud Jones Taxidermy from Texas and dated 1969. The condition is very good.
Category

Late 20th Century American Adirondack Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Cowhide

Framed Large Scale Antique Embroidered Panel
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A striking framed collection of Antique Beadwork. Antwerp label on verso. Group of individual antique neoclassical embroidered pieces- swags with fruits, bows, a flaming heart with s...
Category

19th Century Belgian Belle Époque Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Fabric, Wood, Beads, Ribbon, Glass

Moroccan Moorish Polished Brass Decorative Tray Wall Hanging
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Fabulous Moroccan Moorish hand-hammered brass tray, intricate multi dimension artwork, very fine Islamic Metalwork brass repousse designs. Handcrafted wall hanging decorative brass tray with a copper...
Category

Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Brass

New England Quilt Drunkards Path Pattern Circa 1885
Located in Hudson, NY
Striking and beautiful New England quilt in the drunkards path pattern. Excellent condition with a highly modern design pattern. Found in Maine, this quilt made from blue and red pri...
Category

1880s American Folk Art Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Cotton

Mughal India Round Brass Tray with Islamic Writing
Located in North Hollywood, CA
19th century Mughal Indo Persian fine antique brass round tray hand chased with Islamic calligraphy in Mameluke style. 19th century collector...
Category

19th Century Indian Anglo Raj Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Brass

20th Century French Vintage Rectangular Neoclassical Style Wall Plaster Relief
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A long, rectangular vintage wall mount Hellenistic relief fragment molded in plaster from the Athenian Agora depicting the senate and ancient Greek warriors, in good condition. Not r...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Plaster

55" x 34" Ceramic & Fiber Wall Sculpture #758, Stoneware w/ White Cotton Fringe
Located in Proctorsville, VT
Wall Sculpture #758 by Karen Gayle Tinney Four panel wall sculpture. Hand formed ceramic pieces in unglazed white stoneware with white cotton fringe in two thicknesses. Hanging wire...
Category

2010s American Organic Modern Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Ceramic, Cotton

Large Vintage Asian Bali Art Painting signed J.Wikarma'90
Located in Vilnius, LT
Large Balinese art painting in oil on fabric with flowers and birds. Frame in green lacquered wood. Signed by the author: J.Wikarma'90. Very good/excellent vintage condition.  
Category

Late 20th Century Balinese Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Paint, Textile

Antique Italian Pietra Dura Marble Inlay Plaque of Spaniard
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Dimensions - (Frame) H: 16 1/2 in W: 11 1/2 in D: 1 in (Plaque) H: 12 1/4 in W: 7 1/4 in This exquisite Antique Italian Early 20th Century Pietra Dura Inlaid Marble Plaque is a stu...
Category

20th Century Italian Grand Tour Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Marble

"An Instant Sudden", 2021, Wall Home Decor, Handmade in Italy, Gold Ldt
Located in San Miniato PI, IT
Born in 1992 in Macerata in the Marche region, the Italian artist carried out a path that between studies of Surveyor and Architecture led him to a long collaboration with a craft co...
Category

2010s Italian Industrial Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Marble

Mughal Indian Handcrafted Decorative Hammered Moorish Brass Tray
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Large handcrafted decorative Indian Mughal Moorish brass tray. Embossed and hammered with floral and mystique animal scenes with Arabic script etched. Large decorative hanging...
Category

19th Century Indian Moorish Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Brass

18th Century French Louis XVI Period Gilded Barometer by Evangelista Torricelli
By Evangelista Torricelli
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A gold, large antique French Louis XVI period barometer, signed by Torricelli in gilded wood and of oval shape with original scientific illustrations, in good condition. The detailed wall décor piece is consisting its original glass. Framed with gilt foliate trim and important pediment. Minor fading, due to age. Wear consistent with age and use, circa 1750, France. The Italian scientist Evangelista Torricelli...
Category

Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Giltwood

Pair of Dutch Verre Églomisé Paintings, Original Giltwood Frames, 19th Century
Located in Chatham, ON
Fine and rare pair of antique Dutch Verre Églomisé reverse oil paintings on glass panels - featuring moody landscapes with a castle and church, having ...
Category

19th Century Dutch Dutch Colonial Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Mother-of-Pearl, Glass, Giltwood, Paint

Moroccan Brocade Caftan Maxi Dress 1970 Kaftan Size S to M
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Moroccan exotic metallic brocade caftan gown, circa 1970s. The luxurious kaftan is designed with brilliant gold metallic fabric. The front of the elegant caftan gown is embellished with woven gold buttons and loops that run down the centre to the hemline. The cuffs and border seams are accented with handmade applique trim. This exotic Arabic caftan gown makes a very extravagant garment for formal attire transitions effortlessly to casual wear Measurements The gown length from the collar to the hem 52" 1/2 inches The bust measured flat side to side 18" 1/2 inches The complete bust measures 37" inches The shoulders measure 15" 1/2 inches The outer sleeve length measures 24" inches The waist section measured flat 20" 1/2 inches The hip section measured flat 24" 1/2 inches Size small to Medium. Elegant vintage Moroccan caftan lime green and silver lame metallic floral Moorish brocade Kaftan, circa 1970s. This vintage long maxi dress kaftan is crafted in Morocco and tailored for a relaxed fit with wide sleeves This long maxi dress kaftan is embroidered and embellished entirely by hand. One of a kind evening Moroccan Middle Eastern gown. The kaftan features a traditional neckline, embellished sleeves It is a slip on, the button does not open. In Morocco, fashion preserves its traditional style inherited from great civilizations that found their way to Northwest Africa, such as the ottomans and the moors. Moroccan fashion has been recognized for its style and has garnered a reputation, winning awards in international fashion shows throughout Europe. Marrakech Bohemian, Yves Saint Laurent style. The Moroccan kaftans are worn by men and women, at home or at Moroccan wedding or traditional ceremonies. You can wear this traditional Moroccan caftan for your next Moroccan party, at the beach or to relax around the pool. Unisex long Moroccan robe...
Category

20th Century Moroccan Moorish Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Brocade

French Rattan Bamboo Fish Shaped Mirror, 1960s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Unusual handcrafted rattan bamboo fish figure wall mirror, France, 1950s. Rare find. This spectacular mirror has a design combining the Mid-century taste from the French Riviera with...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Wicker, Cane, Rattan, Mirror

Giant Ruscha Fat Lava Wall Disc Sculpture Mid Century Modern Pottery Art
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
This striking, extra-large Ruscha wall disc sculpture showcases the distinctive craftsmanship of mid-century German art pottery. Designed with a vibrant fat lava glaze, this piece di...
Category

1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Ceramic, Clay, Pottery

American Modern Abstract Wall Sculpture Copper Brass Metal, Curtis Jere
Located in Queens, NY
American Modern Abstract Wall Sculpture Copper Brass Metal, Curtis Jere
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Metal

Persian Decorative Fabric of 19th century (RESHT) Rashtidouzi - N°1215
Located in Paris, FR
Persian decorative fabric of 19th century ( RESHT ) - Rashtidouzi Exceptional Persian fabric of 19th century (RESHT) or RASHTIDOUZI in Farsi and in very...
Category

1880s Persian Tribal Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Wool

Fabscarte Handmade Hand Painted Wallpaper, Martyn Thompson, Midnight Moon Dust
Located in Milan, IT
- This product is priced per square meter. Please contact us for assistance with square footage calculations. - The lead time depends on the quantity of the order. A wallcovering design that was the result of a collaboration with Martyn Thompson, a world-famous photographer...
Category

2010s Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Metal

Ruscha Horse Motif Ceramic Wall Plate Decoration, 1960s
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Handmade midcentury modern rectangular ceramic wall plaque with expressive white horse motif. Matte and shiny glaze in blue, white, yellow and light gray colors. Metal mount for wall...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Ceramic, Pottery, Stoneware

20th Century French Vintage Neoclassical Style Wall Plaster Hellenistic Relief
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A long, rectangular vintage French wall mount Hellenistic relief molded in plaster from the Athenian Agora depicting the senate and ancient Greek warriors, in good condition. Not rec...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Plaster

Hand-Crafted Corkwork Showing a Romantic View of an English Castle
Located in Katonah, NY
This hand crafted cork work shows a romantic scene of an ancient castle in a charming diorama. The castle is perched atop a promontory overlooking a river, complete with forested te...
Category

Mid-19th Century English Romantic Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Cork

Set of 4 Custom Framed Antique Swedish Herbarium Botanical Specimens, circa 1890
Located in Pearland, TX
Beautiful custom framed antique herbarium floral specimens, collected circa 1890. Handwritten names in lovely Swedish script. Specimens include cat's foot, wild oat, and others. Pres...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Paper, Acrylic, Wood, Faux Bamboo

18th - 19th Century Italian Walnut Rococo Carved Wall - Antique Ceiling Panel
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A large Italian ceiling panel made of hand crafted Walnut, enhanced with caryatid and acanthus scrolls, in good condition. The antique wall relief, décor represents the Rococo time period...
Category

Late 18th Century Italian Rococo Antique Hand-Crafted Decorative Art

Materials

Walnut

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. 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