mural conservation by Conrad Schmitt Studios

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stained glass conservation mosaic

Conrad Schmitt Studios: Creation and restoration of decorative painting, stained glass, art glass, murals, mosaic, sculpture and statuary

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	Photo: Rick Breuer

Old Stone Church, First Presbyterian Society, Cleveland, OH

To conserve the 18-foot, triple lancet opalescent window created by famed American stained glass artist John La Farge for Old Stone Church in Cleveland, Ohio. The 115-year-old windows, Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, suffered from deteriorating lead and subsequent damage to the glass.

After thorough examination and documentation with photographs and rubbings, the window was de-leaded and the glass was cleaned. Cracked pieces were edge-glued with conservation epoxy and tinted to match the existing glass.

The re-leading of the panels was very labor intensive because, in some areas, La Farge had several layers of glass or "platings" used to achieve a greater richness of depth and color. By contrast, some other pieces of glass were smaller than a dime. Re-leading under these circumstances required the highest level of skill from the glaziers.

Conrad Schmitt Studios rehabilitated the window frame on-site at Old Stone Church and installed new, vented storm glass. The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth can now be enjoyed and appreciated for another 100 years.