Month: March 2021

Last month I dismantled this leaded light.

I know it looked fantastic. You might ask why, especially if you know how passionate I am about retaining old leaded lights. Several of the panes were cracked and the lead structure was wobbly which is not unusual for such large frameless pieces. Sometimes I have to make the difficult decision whether to:

1) Sell in current condition

2) Have someone restore it

3) Dismantle to sell the parts

When I acquire a piece like this I will spend a few days pondering what to do. While I could sell in current condition it could take a long time and London storage space is at a premium. If repairing I have to lug it to the restorer and back, may still have to store long-term and the shipping costs associated with a piece this size may make it harder to sell.

With a piece like this I know all the parts can be utilised. I anticipate the background glass (large non coloured panes) will be used as spares by people fixing an existing window/door.

The remaining parts I predict will be used by someone creating a new leaded light but wanting some nice original glass since all types in this were discontinued from production decades ago.

Part of my decision to dismantle will be informed by how easy I think it will be – this comes from experience and feeling the lead structure. At worst I know that I will not loose money if I damage in the process. A frameless piece this size I will not have acquired as a single item. It will have come from a job lot – probably the other items were smaller. A1210c were from the same house.

It is a hard decision to make but nothing goes to waste!