Can crystal & glass be repaired? find out from a scientist!
Waterford & other types of crystal can be repaired by grinding down chips, cleaning stains, polishing scratches, freeing stuck stoppers, & gluing broken stems.
John
How to repair a 2000-year-old pre-Columbian sculpture
The steps in restoration are: examination & documentation, cleaning, and removal of old glue, gluing, filling gaps, painting, and sealing.
Repairing antique Mexican religious art – Santos & Bultos
At Artistry in Glass, we are occasionally privileged to restore objects of great value and antiquity. Here we had the opportunity to stabilize a historic 18th-century Mexican bulto of San José y Niño, purchased in Mexico City and brought in by a Tucson customer. What is a bulto? A bulto (originally revulto) is a three-dimensional folk-art statue of a saint, carved in wood and polychrome, made in the southwestern U.S. and Latin America in the 18th and 19th centuries. Bultos originated in the Hispanic and Native American communities of Mexico and New Mexico in the late 1700s, and continue to be a key … Read more
Is lead crystal dangerous? Get the facts from a scientist!
The finest quality crystal from Waterford, Bacarrat, Lalique, Orrefors, and other prestigious companies has always been made with 24% or more lead oxide (PbO). Research in the 1990s found that lead can leach from crystal decanters and contaminate your whiskey, sherry, or wine. So, is lead crystal dangerous? And if so, what should you do about it? Update for 2023: now that the danger of lead poisoning is well understood, all modern crystal and glassware is manufactured without lead. Even the Swarovski company stopped using lead in their decorative figurines (in 2012). So lead is only a potential threat to … Read more
How to fix a broken picture frame – repairing gesso & veneer
A picture frame protects your artwork and serves as a beautiful transition between the painting and your room’s architecture and furnishing. If your treasured frame has been damaged – or if you have bought an antique frame at an estate sale – how do you find out if your broken picture frame is worth repairing? Carved or gilded frames are worth restoring as long as the damage is not too severe. The steps are: remove the artwork, clean off the dirt, reglue the corners, replace missing veneer and gesso, refinish the frame then re-install your picture. Examine your picture frame … Read more
How to repair a broken mirror frame – complete instructions!
A beautiful mirror frame complements a room’s architecture and furnishing. If your treasured frame has been damaged in moving – or if you have bought an antique frame at a yard sale – how do you find out if your broken mirror frame is worth repairing? Decorative, carved, or gilded frames are worth restoring as long as the damage is not too severe. The important steps are: clean off the dirt, secure and reglue the corners, replace missing veneer and gesso, repaint and varnish the frame then re-install your mirror. Examine your mirror frame to evaluate the damage. Small wooden … Read more
How to frame a builders-grade bathroom mirror with molding
Many bathrooms have unframed builders-grade bathroom mirrors over the vanity. Removing these mirrors is difficult because they are often glued to the wall – so the most economical solution is to spruce up the old mirror by attaching a frame. Learn the secrets of in-situ mirror framing in this informative post. A handy homeowner can frame a bathroom wall mirror for less than $25.00 using molding from a home-improvement center and construction adhesive. The three main types of frames are: mitered, square-cornered, and butted and each can be installed following the simple steps described in this post: Measure your mirror … Read more
How to repair a cracked mirror – learn all the facts!
Your favorite mirror has fallen off the wall and cracked. Many misleading websites claim that broken mirrors can be fixed but the fact is that they nearly all need to be replaced with new mirror. This article explains how to replace a broken mirror. Cracked mirrors cannot be successfully glued back together so you must carefully remove the broken mirror, order a new one from the glass shop, and install it. Use the simple steps explained in this article. There are a few occasions when gluing broken mirror fragments may be worthwhile. These include very valuable or historic mirrors with … Read more