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Rona
Non AGG Members
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Thu Apr 3rd, 2008 06:46 pm |
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Hi
I have been asked to repair some windows in Pittsburgh in a house dated c1915 and I'm intrigued by the metal used for some of them. I was told they were lead, and certainly the ornate stairway and bathroom windows are leaded. However, the windows in the sitting and dining rooms and the front door are plain rectangular and held together in a framework of gun-metal grey, with flat face and all 5/8" wide. It felt like tin when I ran a fingernail over it. Where it is damaged, the soldered joints have come apart and the joint itself is a sort of H shape - ie the four strips are cut straight across and butted up, none is carried through. It looks like the soldering has failed, not the came. However, the front and back flanges have come away, leaving the glass barely hanging there in some sort of blackish gunk, presumably containing any remaining heart.
It is one of four houses built at the same time, and none of the others have these "leaded" windows so could be a later addition. It was installed before the present owners moved there 20 years ago, and they said they assumed it was the same age as the house, so it obviously was not shiny new then. The glass looks like float to me, but the piece I could see best was obviously a later repair. Where it had been repaired, the flanges had obviously been peeled back with a sharp point and the metal is too hard for them to be fully smoothed back down.
I have never used it, but I wonder if it's zinc? I had kinda thought that zinc was a fairly recent innovation (based on nothing more than the fact that British stockists didn't seem to have it until recently).
I would really appreciate anyone's thoughts! Many thanks.
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Mary Clerkin Higgins
Director
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Posted: Thu Apr 3rd, 2008 07:16 pm |
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Rona,
That sounds exactly like zinc came, but it is surprising that the glaziers did not carry the lines through for strength. The joints are often the weakest link, causing failure, though you may have seen earlier posts on corroded zinc. Chicago Metallic, founded in 1893, developed different types of metal cames which were used by Frank Lloyd Wright (and others) for many of his windows. He used lead, brass and zinc, often electroplating the zinc with copper. So, bottom line is, zinc was being used when the house was built (1915), so there is a possibility it is original, though it could have been put in at any time since that date. If you can post photos, that would be helpful.
Best, Mary
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Rona
Non AGG Members
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Thu Apr 3rd, 2008 07:23 pm |
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Mary, that's really helpful, very many thanks!
I'll see if I can get back over the next few days and get some pictures (catching the owners in is proving a challenge!) In the meantime, I'll work on the presumption that it IS zinc.
Thanks for a quick and useful response.
Rona
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