An Aestheticist Door Transom on Massey

Toronto’s Victorian windows are part of a larger movement called Aestheticism. This was a movement to promote the dignity of labour through handicrafts. The Aestheticists were actually quite elitist, and their products were high-end, but their idealism had a huge influence on Victorian design.

Massey Street was built by the Massey Company to house workers and managers. The houses at the northern end, like this one, were designed for managers and shop stewards. That’s how this modest house ended up with palatial windows.

These painted birds are a major feature of Toronto glass between 1882 and 1890.
They were painted in enamels and then fired.
I think most of them are from Toronto, but there are exceptions.
They can be in good condition, but most of them have lost some enamel.
Strong cleaning products can really hurt these things.

Putting it back together was straightforward. As always, I made it stronger than before. Victorian windows have weak edges (when they have edges at all). The standard materials now are much better than in Victorian times.

This window is now good for another century