BACKGROUND: The Presbyterian Church of the Crossroads was formed on November 7, 1889. The parish moved locations several times, until finally moving to the building on Arlington and Elton Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. The current structure was dedicated in 1893. The "Ascension" window commissioned from artist Frederick Stymetz Lamb as a memorial to Mrs. Eliza C. Allen, a charter member of the church, and was installed in December of 1912. Frederick Lamb was the son of Joseph Lamb, the co-founder of J&R Lamb Studios, established in 1857. Frederick Lamb took over operation of his father's studio in the 1880s, alongside his brother Charles Rollinson Lamb.
"Ascension Memorial Window", before fire. Image courtesy of Bovard Studio, Inc.
FIRE DAMAGE: The church suffered damage from a fire in the spring of 2016. The fire had started in a neighboring house before spreading to two additional homes and the Presbyterian Church of the Crossroads. The resulting damage left both the window and the frame nearly decimated.
Image courtesy of Bovard Studio, Inc.
CONDITION: Analysis of the windows revealed high levels of crazing across the majority of surviving glass pieces. The development of these micro-fractures can be attributed to the rapid change in temperature the glass experienced as it was quenched with cold water during the fire. The lead also suffered substantial losses and deformities due to the high temperature of the flames and low melting temperature of the lead alloy material. Overall, the bulk of the original window did not survive the fire and the remaining elements were unstable and unfit for reuse in the building envelope.
Images courtesy of Bovard Studio, Inc.
Top Image: 10x Magnification
Bottom Image: 40x Magnification
Original Panel 12B4, interior, transmitted light. Image courtesy of Bovard Studio, Inc.
Layout of cut glass with tiers
Finished new panel 12B4, interior, transmitted light. Image courtesy of Bovard Studio, Inc.
TREATMENT: Based on the condition analysis, a treatment proposal was developed to recreate the original window for re-installation while stabilizing the surviving portions for collections storage. The new window would be based as closely as possible to the original. The surviving panels and historic photographs were used throughout the reconstruction process.
Leading process
Image courtesy of Bovard Studio, Inc.
