Tiffany Stained Glass Rose Window Preservation, Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church

Preservation of Louis Comfort Tiffany Stained Glass Rose Window at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church in Berkeley, California is a winner for the 2025 Preservation Design Award for Craftsmanship/Preservation Technology. Award recipients are selected by a jury of top professionals in the fields of architecture, engineering, planning, and history, as well as renowned architecture critics and journalists. Tickets and sponsorship options are available at californiapreservation.org/programs/awards/.

About the Tiffany Stained Glass Rose Window at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church

Though initially thought to be a relatively small repair of two, stained glass panels, discoveries in the initial survey phase revealed major disrepair of the entire west wall. Each of the 17 multi-layered (platted) window panels were removed and conserved.  Concurrently, the metal frame and supporting wooden architectural structure were reconfigured and reinforced to provide a stable framework for the conserved panels to be reinstalled. The new frame also accommodated new protective glazing with ventilation to the interior with an innovative cantilevered central section of the frame. Additionally, the church took advantage of accessibility provided by scaffolding to replicate the exterior star encircling the window as some material components were failing. The project required collaboration between engineers, restoration woodworkers and metalsmiths, roofers, painters and stained glass preservation specialists.

Community Importance

This is one of the few, large Tiffany and Company of New York stained glass windows extant in California. The company was commissioned to design and fabricate a stained glass window to fit the existing eleven and one-half foot round opening as a “Thankoffering” for the recovery of their rector, Dr. Edward Lamb Parsons from a serious, life-threatening accident. It was unveiled and blessed on November 26, 1916 by Archdeacon Emery, acting on behalf of the Bishop of the Diocese of California.  Tiffany and Company was paid $1,600 for the window in two $800 installments.  It is not known how much the installation cost.

The church is located across the street from UC Berkeley and is used by music students as well as the parishioners. In particular, the Flentrop organ (which is located directly below the stained glass rose) is in active use and very well known. According to a spring 2008 article in San Francisco Classical Voice, St. Mark’s Flentrop is one of the top ten instruments in the Bay Area. Therefore the condition of the wall encapsulating the window took on greater significance and importance to illuminate and complement the musical instrument.

On a strictly practical level, the large stained glass panels were not structurally sound and were at risk of falling out onto the public below before treatment.

About CPF and the Awards

The California Preservation Awards are a statewide hallmark, showcasing the best in historic preservation. The awards ceremony includes the presentation of the Preservation Design Awards and the President’s Awards, bringing together hundreds of people each year to share and celebrate excellence in preservation.

The California Preservation Foundation (CPF), a 501c3 nonprofit, was incorporated in 1978. We now support a national network of more than 36,000 members and supporters. Click here to learn how you can become a member.