Why don't you look for new glass (tempered)? It would be safer, and if you don't want the distortion I don't understand why you're looking at antique glass. You can order new glass with bubbles in it if that's what you're looking for.

Sorry ajsmama I didn't word that right...I meant that I didn't want "really" distorted or too much distortion in the glass but I do want some and really was hoping that the restoration glass would look like old windowpane glass. It did in some ways but was only noticeable when the light hit it a certain way. Maybe it's just that the sample is small and I can't get a good feel for it.

I don't want seeded glass which is why I leaned towards the restoration glass to begin with. I also don't want reeded or heavily distorted glass since I do want to be able to see what is in the cabinets. I really was hoping that the restoration glass would look like old time glass that you see in historic homes (not crown glass which is really wavy and distorted) but from the mid 1850's to the 1920's era glass.

When I got the sample it had so little distortion that it really looked like regular glass and I was hoping for at least a little more distortion and lines so that it was worth the money to put it in.

As far as safety, there will only be glass in a few upper cabinets and a dish pantry upper part, so it should be fine. I was just hoping that someone who had put the money into restoration or antique glass might be able to say whether or not the larger panels installed in finished cabinetry was worth the money or not. I also plan to have lighting running down the sides to light up these cabinets and wondered if maybe it would show up more with the lighting inside.

Sorry my earlier post wasn't more clear. I do want distortion, just want it to be subtle but not so subtle that it's not worth the money and effort to get it.

Kat :)

Sorry I misunderstood - I figured you wanted antique look but not distortion. I've never heard of "restoration" glass - is it new made to look old, or is it salvaged? I'm clumsy, and could just see myself banging the door getting a plate or serving bowl out (esp. off higher shelf) and would look for tempered glass myself. I have antique barrister bookcases with original glass (still packed from move 18 months ago) and I dread putting the doors even though the bookcase is tucked in a nook at the end of the hall - b/t my kids' bedroom doors!

Good luck in your search!

Restoration glass is new glass made to look like old glass. What that means really is it doesn't have some of the ambering or other coloring you often find in old antique glass, but you can get the sizes you need.

The contact I found for antique glass is actually the same price as the restoration glass, but you have to buy the whole sheet not just the size you want...which can be a lot more in the long run. The trade off is you get the real thing and it does have the coloring that is missing from the restoration or reproduction glass.

I just don't want to spend almost $60 per panel (12 x 36 roughly) if you can't really tell it from plain old glass in the long run. I really do want it though, one of those silly pictured it from the get go kind of things that probably only I will know it's there. *sigh*

Get that bookcase out and enjoy it! I grew up with all kinds of antique cupboards and we even broke a pane or two over the years, much to my mother's dismay, but I still love the look of an old bookcase and cupboard!

Thanks,

Kat :)

lesmis, where are you located? My cousin will be replacing her windows in her 1908 bungalow this summer. It breaks my heart to see her replace that old wavy glass and I begged her to just get some hi-efficiency new storms, but they are adamant that they will be replacing. I'm going to be grabbing a window to have cut for the wine&liquor hutch DH will be building for our kitchen. If you're close by(upstate NY) and can wait till summer you're certainly welcome to a couple of windows to use. If not try out some architectural salvage places. Old windows will sell for a lot less per sq.inch than the antique glass place.

Thanks so much lax!! We are in southern Maryland and will need the glass by early April, I wish we could wait your glass sounds perfect! Tell her not to just get rid of that glass it's worth a fortune to people like me who are willing to pay for it!

The problem I'm finding is that I didn't put mullions in my glass fronted cabinets and now I need relatively large pieces of glass in order to make it work! :(

Thanks so much for the offer, I wish I could make it work!

Kat :)

We have restoration glass in our upper cabinets. It definitely was a pricey option. I think the glass for our six doors was ~$1,200. We used Restover glass, which is a hair thicker and comes in bigger sizes than Bendheim. Our uppers are extra tall so we were limited in our options.

Is it worth it for restoration glass? Lots of times I don't even notice the glass, but other times I stand at an angle and just admire the lovely waves. For our kitchen, you see all of the glass uppers at an angle every time you walk in the room. My husband was the stickler that insisted on the restoration glass, but I'm glad he did.

I used all old 4 ft tall Arts and Craft salvage windows for my cab doors. I had one pair leftover and they are the doors for my master bathroom free standing cabinet. Anyway they were $100 a piece. The original wavy glass is like what is in all of our homes windows. You have to be standing "just so" and the light makes magic....depends on what you want. There are very inexpensive alternatives out there.

Ah...slowing down to enjoy the waves...or the fragrance of the roses...all the same thing...what is the point otherwise??

c

Trailrunner, I would love the real deal, wonder where I can find larger panes of glass in my area? We are in a rural part of Maryland and so trying to find a good salvage yard would mean going 2 hours north to Baltimore. Might be worth it though!

I should slow down, and once this reno is over I think I will fall face first into the rose garden! Then I'll have to stop and smell the roses right?

Thanks,

Kat :)

Lesmis, we're in Maryland too! There's a stained glass shop in Ellicott City (close to Baltimore) called Great Panes who ordered it for me. If I remember correctly, I believe that they get it from a supplier called Hollander. They had it cut to size for me and I went and picked it up. DH and I installed it in the cabient ourselves.

Kat I know what you mean ! It is SO exhausting. I hope you get to Ellicott City. That sounds perfect. We used to live in Catonsville MD. Has been a long time ago ...1973 or so. Loved the area . c

Arlosmom and Trailrunner...I live in St.Mary's down on the Potomac but I went to school in Catonsville, at UMBC (many moons ago!) and I love Ellicott City! It's such a fun town, or at least it used to be, lots of cool shops and places to eat.

Any excuse to go to a fun place and shop sounds great to me! Arlosmom are you in Ellicott City itself or just around that area? Trailrunner are you still in MD? We definitely need to get all these MD people together, have you seen the MD meet up post?

I feel like I know so much about everyone just by looking at their kitchens! :)

Thanks so much for all of the info, I truly do appreciate it!

Kat :)

Kat, we're just north of the DC beltway. I tracked Great Panes down by calling the glass distributer and seeing who carried their glass. They gave me a couple of names and Great Panes was the most responsive and closest. How far are you from Ellicott City? I remember that they wanted me to come in and approve a sample of the glass before they placed the order...so you may end up making a couple of trips to the fun place to eat and shop.

Plain & Fancy cabinetry offers glass called "German Antique Glass" and it's really beautiful and subtle. I have it on one of my displays as well as a piece of furniture in my own home. It looks authentically old to me. It's hard to photograph glass...but here's a picture I took a last year for a client. I recall a client buying the same thing from a glass dealer (instead of P&F).

Sorry for the large picture....just thought it would show up better.

Kompy

Kompy thanks for the photo, I may contact P&F and see if they'll tell me their source, probably not, but it's worth a try!

Arlosmom, I am about 2 hours from Ellicott City but it's a fairly nice drive and if they are good to work with then it's always worth the trip. I love your kitchen BTW!

Thanks,

Kat :)

Laxsupermom, I might be interested in your cousin's window glass, and am in the Hudson Valley. Would you mind sending me an email telling me where your cousin is, and maybe some contact information? I'd like to find out more about it.

Thanks!
Debbie

I am wondering how people sale their antique window glass? I have tons, I mean tons, of it still in the window frames from where we replaced all of the windows in my 1920's house. We kept it but haven't been able to find a good way to publicize it (we're in East TN). Any suggestions?

craigs list????

just a thought

Nkkp, how large are the pieces you have?

Thanks,

Kat :)

No we are in central Alabama...we left MD in 1974 to go to Chapel Hill NC another cool town for sure. Have never been back in all these years. Maybe some day. c

Kat, the glass is 28"x 32".

Trailrunner, you should make a trip back, though I envy your warmer Alabama winters!

nkkp do you know if it's 1/8th inch thick?...sry for all the questions! How much would you all want for each piece (do you have several pieces?) and wonder how much shipping would be to MD. You can email me directly at swlesmis@hotmail.com.

Thanks,

Kat :)

Hi, lesmis. I just came across your post, and, while two months have passed, I hope you were able to find the right glass for your cabinet doors.
I work for Bendheim and wanted to clarify a few points regarding the Restoration Glass® samples you received. As you noted, seeing the true nature and slight waviness of the glass is almost impossible from a small size sample. The slight distortion is easier to see at a distance, under reflected light, and in a larger piece. We normally recommend the "Light" variety for windows requiring minimal distortion and the "Full" for cabinet doors viewed from a shorter distance.
You are correct about slight color hues in some antique glass. There were various blown glass manufacturers back in the day making different qualities of glass. Today, Bendheim works with the Lamberts factory in Germany, one of the few remaining producers of mouth-blown window glass in the world. Going back to the color issue, the Restoration Glass we supplied for The White House, for example, was custom created with a slight amber hue to match the original. Most antique glass, however, is clear with a slight greenish cast seen from the edge; same as the true Restoration Glass made by Lamberts.
Regarding price, Restoration Glass is not inexpensive. However, if you view our production video online, you will appreciate the intense, highly skilled labor required to produce a single sheet of Restoration Glass.
Finally, be careful about cutting your own glass. IÂve heard many professional restorers complain of antique and salvaged glass breaking during cutting because not all period-style glass is of high quality.

I hope this information was helpful. Please feel free to e-mail me directly at jmiret@bendheim.com with any questions regarding our glass.

~ Jen Miret, Bendheim Communications Manager