The restored leadlight windows installed in the Yeronga house.

Yeronga’s Heritage Queenslander Restoration

I have recently completed the restoration of 6 leadlight panels from a heritage Queenslander home in Yeronga, Brisbane, built in 1924. The panels have a lovely floral motif and intense purple and aquamarine colours. While the panels were not damaged in the 2014 Brisbane hailstorm that heavily damaged a lot of heritage stained glass windows in the area, they did suffer the harsh Queensland sun and the lead was crumbling down.

One of the leadlight panel before restoration. The lead is crumbling.

Detail of one leadlight panel showing bowing in correspondence of the flower motif.

Interestingly, the same motif was present in other leadlight windows around the house’s veranda: these windows were in immaculate conditions because soon after building, the veranda was enclosed to add more indoor space to the house.

Restored leadlight panels and timber frame casements installed in place at the heritage-listed Yeronga residence.

The restored windows shining through the night.

One of the leadlight panel during the rebuilding phase.

The restoration of these windows was carried out in 6 weeks and all the panels were rebuilt from scratch maintaining the same width and type of lead cames. Few glass pieces were broken but fortunately we were able to match the original glass with some heritage glass we had in stock in Glass Artistry’s studio, thus maintaining the original design: at Glass Artistry, we always strive to matching the glass that needs replacement as close as possible.

The restored leadlight windows installed in the Yeronga house.

Along with the restored panels, we provided to the owners a full report detailing the status of the windows. We also organised for the restoration of the original timber frames of the leadlight windows. Once we removed the leadlight, my collaborator John Britnell from JayBee Woodworks took all silky oak frames apart, brought them back to bare timber, reconstructed the damaged portion by inserting matching silky oak. John then stained the internal part of frames by carefully recreating the original stained and also recoated the external part of the frames.

John from JayBee Woodworks completing the installation of a leadlight panel into its timber frame casement.

John and I applying the last touches to the restored timber frames with the installed leadlights.

The owners of the restored leadlight panels sent me a very kind email of appreciation of the restoration works:

Hi Magda,
As you know, both Shirley and I are extremely happy with the service you have provided in the restoration of our windows. You showed the utmost care, from understanding our needs at the beginning of the project, through to the planning and execution of the work.
Your skill and artistry has added a great deal of heritage value to our home, and we would not hesitate to recommend your services.
So, thank you again for your professionalism and for the obvious passion you have for your craft, you really looked after us.
All the best for the future, and our sincerest gratitude for all your efforts.
Warm regards,
Luke Harrison

The restored leadlight panels ready for installation.

Harry Clarke, in Glasgow

In my recent trip to Europe, I visited Glasgow, Scotland. I used to live and work in Glasgow few years ago, and it was there that I specialised in art glass design and worked in great glass projects for the Verrier Glass Studio, including the creation of leadlight windows and the restoration of heritage stained glass in Glasgow.

Harry Clarke’s stained glass “The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin”, at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Museum, Scotland.

Harry Clarke’s stained glass window “Ascension”, at St Stephen Cathedral in Brisbane, Queensland.

It was to my great joy that a beautiful stained glass window by Irish artist Harry Clarke was on display at the Kelvingrove museum. Harry Clarke (17 March 1889 – 6 January 1931) was a proficient stained glass artist and he created more than 130 windows which are characterised by rich colours (especially deep blues), fine drawings and the integration of the lead cames themselves into the design of the stained glass window (which remind the heavy lines in his black&white book illustrations). An example of Clarke’s stained glass windows is also in the St Stephen’s Catholic Cathedral in Brisbane (known as the “Ascension” or “Mayne” window, because in memory of Isaac and William Mayne). This window was commissioned to Clarke and imported from Ireland in the early part of the twentieth century (about 1923).

The window in Glasgow is titled “The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin” and, as the Brisbane’w window, it also was realised in 1923, as recorded along with Clarke’s signature in the bottom right corner of the rightmost panel (see image). The window is made up of 20 panels and was originally installed in the Convent Chapel in the Teacher Training College in Dowanhill Glasgow, Scotland, but has now been removed and is assembled into an exhibition frame in Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Museum. The window was commissioned by Sister Mary of St Wilfrid of The Sisters of Notre Dame and Principal of the Teacher Training College.

Detail of the faces of the Virgin.

Detail of two praying people.

The window contains all the motifs that make Clarke’s work famous around the word: the deep blue colours of the Virgin’s dress, the delicate drawings of the faces of the people pictured in the window (see the details in the images above), and the inclusion of the lead as integral part of the design, for example dictating the flow of the Virgin’s dress and the drip of water in the central panel.

Detail from Harry Clarke’s “The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin” at The Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow, Scotland.

Harry Clarke’s signature on the window, with date.

New Murano Millefiori Glass Range in Stock

We have now plenty of new, authentic Murano Millefiori in stock, along with compatible Murano sheet glass that you can use in combination with the millefiori to create your own fused glass project. You can see some of the millefiori we have in stock in our Etsy shop; if you want to see more, get in touch with us.