The Peaceful Valley...

I received a call yesterday that the heart/rose stained glass piece that I ordered is finished along with the blown up pattern for my window. Linda, the stained glass shoppe owner, told me she found out lots of interesting history about the window. I find it very ironic that she called me yesterday since it was such a date to remember for me. I am all about dates and how things happen on the dates that are important to me. I managed to drop the heart/rose when I got home and it wil be going back to be repaired. So sad. Today I just feel like I can crawl out of my skin. The anxiety is killing me.

Heart/rose broken at the bottom but still beautiful

New pattern in the actual size

So, this window pane was one of ten panes that were commissioned by Richard B. Mellon of Pittsburgh, Pa in 1908. He wanted these ten panes to run along the stairway in his house. Mr. Mellon (1853-1933) is the 7^th richest man in American history at 82.3 billion as he began the Pittsburgh Reduction Co, Pittsburgh Coal Co and The Mellon Bank. He and his brother founded the very prestigious Mellon Foundation. 

Photo of original 10 panes of stained glass

Photo of repaired original in Museum

Mr. Mellon sought the talents of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Yes, this the Tiffany of Tiffany Glass Co and the very popular Tiffany and Co. Louis Tiffany did much of his own glass blowing himself to create his own colors to use in his lamps and windows. It took Mr. Tiffany from 1908-1912 to complete the ten windows for the house. The original size of the pane I am having a piece of recreated was 70 inches tall and 31 ¼ inches wide. The name of this set of ten panes is called The Peaceful Valley and incorporates many of his favorite magnolias and irises. The lines that run horizontally through the pictures are actually rebar to add extra stability to the glass because of the size it needed re-enforcement to make sure the glass could bear the weight of the entire pane.

The four surviving panes

Mr. Mellon’s Pittsburgh home was torn down in 1940. The company called in to complete the demolition did not take the beautiful stained glass windows into consideration before destroying the house. The four remaining window panes are on display at the Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh and have been loaned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art from time to time.

The original and the repaired original notice all the differences?

Heather I think picked this window pane as it includes the most details of the original window, the irises and magnolias and also because it is a Tiffany original. She loved all things exclusive and expensive. In the two photos side by side you will see the differences between the original that hung in the house and the one that is in the museum now. It is the same window pane saved from the house but was damaged and was repaired to the best of their abilities. The biggest visible repair is the butterfly looking “flowers” on the pillar on the left. Some think this was actually from a hammer or something used to destroy the house. I have placed the two photos side by side so you can see some of the differences. Kind of like the same and difference comics in the paper. I am having mine made to be as close to the one that hung in the stairway of the Mellon house. I will not have the repair on the pillar it will be solid.

Some of the glass

More of the glass

And more of the glass

Linda has told me she is taking out all stops for glass and creativity to do this pane. She has never done one like this and is thrilled to do it for herself and also for the reason why I want it completed. It turns out that none of the glass that Heather had in the bucket under her bed would have been able to be used in this window. Now I don’t feel quite so bad. The glass being used for this window is some of the most beautiful glass Linda has. She explained to me that most windows use glass that is $5-$10 a square foot. Most of my glass is $15-$35 per square foot. The size of my window is 5 square feet solid 24X30. Very close to the original size of the pane in the house. I can’t imagine how beautiful it would be to walk up and down that stairway with all the stained glass. The sun hitting the glass just right to shine so beautifully.

color picture drawing of the only pattern available