Povey Brothers Studio

[1] As the largest and best known art glass company in Oregon, it produced windows for homes, churches, and commercial buildings throughout the West.

The windows were considered to have extraordinary quality and beauty, and the firm's work was virtually unequaled in the Pacific Northwest.

[3] The company was founded by David Lincoln Povey, the son of English-born stained glass window maker Joseph Povey, who immigrated to the United States in 1848 and subsequently worked in stained glass in Philadelphia, New York City, and Newark, New Jersey.

[1][7] David formed the glass company in 1888 with his brother John, shortly after working on a commission for First Presbyterian Church.

His Queen Anne Victorian home in the Irvington neighborhood, the John E. G. Povey House, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

[2][10] Popular motifs included grape clusters, roses, lilies, birds, and dogwood, which became a signature of the company.

[2] Another notable feature of the studio's work was the use of clear glass in the background to allow light to pass through the windows on the Northwest's typically overcast days.

[2] The studio was known for using the latest equipment and trade techniques, and for working with architects and homeowners to create unique designs that set the Poveys apart.

[7] By 1889, the Povey Brothers Studio was located in the Phoenix Building at 124 SW Ash Street in Portland.

[14] In 1905, the company relocated to the Povey Building at 408 NW 5th Avenue in Portland, designed for them by architect Emil Schacht.

[55] The Povey Brothers also completed commissions in the city of Bellingham, Washington, and in Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Northern California.