exceptional c. 1880's transom art glass windows discovered during demolition of former organ factory

there's good reason why i cannot leave a wrecking site until everything has been trucked off, including the earth excavated for laying the foundation of the structure replacing the one reduced to rubble.

every now and then, while a building is being blasted by the excavator's bucket, something hidden emerges - something i oversaw or didn't imagine even existed behind the walls.

the 19th century victorian style masonry building on evergreen street (formerly known as sigel street), with occupants including a german meeting hall and pipe organ factory (according to chicago city directories) was reduced to three standing walls, i noticed five panels that turned out to be richly colored leaded art glass windows hidden in the shadows of the protruding bay, that had been heavily concealed by countless remuddlings.

the interior had been divided into multiple units and outfitted with a drop ceiling sometime during the depression when it turned residential and the exterior bay was retrofitted with new glass windows and the transoms were simply boarded up. all of the woodwork, including the flanking intricately turned pilasters were painted white.

with the excavator clearing piles of debris towards the rear of the building, i jumped at once to expose, document and remove all of the windows, despite the majority containing damage, in the form of cracks, replaced glass panels or substantial bowing. regardless, the wood sash frames were structurally sound and the lead caming remained in great shape with very little pitting or cracks in the soldered joints evident.

once the windows were extracted from the building's three-sided bay, there were brought back to the studio for closer examination, cleaning and further documenting. the matching windows are somewhat unusual in that the primary design is restricted to a simple and strongly geometric "picket fence" motif (composed of cathedral glass in alternating colors ) coupled with a visually striking border consisting of oversized rondels that overpower the central design. the unforeseen discovery of these hidden windows was one thing, but the arresting elegance of these richly colored 1880's-era stained glass windows featuring such a unusual combination of solid color geometric shapes surrounded by opulent rondels was of equal importance - at least for my mind's eye.