It was on an architectural walking tour that I first stood in awe of the unique beauty of stained glass art in the historic churches of Portland, Oregon. In the nineteenth century Portland was thriving. Successful entrepreneurs in logging and shipping wanted to build homes and churches worthy of their status and wealth. Early Portlanders certainly were out to impress. They competed with large east coast cities and west coast cities like San Francisco by building grand homes with expensive detailing.
Beautiful jewel-like windows added to the impressive beauty of Portland structures. It was no wonder that Portland became home to one of the premier makers of art glass windows in the country. The Povey Brothers Glass Company, founded in 1888
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It was their first contract upon arriving in Portland. You can tour the church or visit during a service and see the beauty of the glass, especially colorful on a sunny day. You’ll also be amazed at the use of beautiful local woods throughout the church. Call (503) 228-7331 to inquire about tours.
The Old Church (theoldchurch.org/) on SW 11th Ave., is the oldest church building in downtown Portland. It is a great example of Carpenter Gothic architecture. Now a non-profit event center, The Old Church has some excellent examples of Povey Brothers stained glass. You can visit and view the windows. Call (503) 222-2031 to see when the building is open.
By the early 1900’s the Povey Brothers ran the largest art glass establishment in the United States. They were known for putting the “art” in art glass. They put together unusual combinations of glass. In one window, I noticed a multi-faceted three dimensional piece of glass. They were known also for beautifully painted scenes and figures on the glass providing detailed art, some reminiscent of European paintings. Most of the Povey art glass is not signed but you can identify it by the quality and creativity. You can also find Povey Brothers windows in some of the fine historic homes of Portland including Pittock