To Keep Or Replace: What Makes Historic Houston Stained Glass Valuable
Stained Glass Repair And Replacement Houston
When it comes to stained glass windows the majority of people have no idea what theirs may or may not be worth. That is completely understandable because values are obscure and tend to fluctuate with time and evolving styles. However, not so much that an approximate value cannot be put on them. Now that the Houston area is going through a renovation boom finding out the value of your stained glass and whether to keep or replace it, is of the utmost importance. Not all stained glass will be a windfall of cash– in fact, most won’t. But a lot of the stained glass is the American west has deep historical significance on top its monetary value. And every once in a while there is the case of a vintage homeowner stumbling upon a surprisingly lucrative piece of stained glass they didn’t realize was so rich in history and value. While most historic stained glass will be not be something you can retire off of–finding out the value of your Houston home’s glass is critical. Below are a few things a stained glass expert, like Custom Stained Glass Houston, will consider when pricing your beloved stained glass window.
What Appraisers Look At When Pricing Vintage Stained Glass
Context Of The Building or Home: The history of the building is a big part of what makes stained glass valuable (or not) and provides many, many clues about the history and maker of the stained glass.
Inscriptions and Signatures. An easy and telltale hint at the value of a stained glass window, inscriptions let you know precisely who made the glass or from which studio it came out of. A lot of studios and artists, like Tiffany, put signature plates on the lower right-hand corner or their pieces.
Composition and Style Elements: The style of your Houston window is a very great way to discern when it was made and even who made it. Styles like Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau, Prairie School are all very unique and distinctive style and valuable too. If your vintage stained glass is in these types styles, it is easier to pinpoint the time, area or artist it came from.
The Surrounding Framing Structure: The frame holding the stained glass is just as telling as the glass itself. If it is the original it will tell you exactly when the vintage stained glass window was made. But what it was made of also tells a tale:
- Iron frames are typically around post 1850s
- Steel frames are usually post-World War I
- Cast stone frames were used as early as the 1880s, but truly came into vogue after 1900)
- Terra Cotta Frames came into use right around 1900
The Make-up Of The Glass: Of course, the glass is a huge clue in and of itself. There were many varieties of glassmaking methods and innovations, each dating to a different time and style in American history. So, something like opalescent glass, for example, was invented in 1880 and widely used, in two variations by Tiffany himself.
Stained Glass Houston For Stained Glass Pricing
Before removing or changing anything on your historic Houston home’s stained glass, be sure to make every effort to find out and record its history and composition. Also, get it documented for future generation. For help finding out the value of your Houston home’s stained glass contact us at Custom Stained Glass Houston today!
