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Thursday, February 25th, 2010The architectural style of the 18th and 19th centuries is closely associated with sash windows. Their popularity stemmed from their larger panes of glass and more elegant proportions than casement windows.
Their origin has almost certainly been traced back to Yorkshire in England. They offered greater resistance to rot and distortion, while being able to keep out the weather and still allow fresh air in since they can be opened only slightly when it is raining.
Sash windows were a huge improvement over their predecessors, both aesthetically and practically, and were incorporated into older homes as well as being favored for new buildings. The window tax of the 18th and 19th centuries caused many of these fashionable windows to be taken out again, however. The window with two movable sashes was developed during the Georgian era. Glass remained expensive and was marked with large bull’s eye patterns in the center of each pane due to the way it was made. As better methods of making large panes were found, windows with six panels in each sash appeared, becoming characteristic of the Georgian sash window. They are considered characteristic of the Regency style.
The popularity of these windows have remained strong during the Victorian age, but they were ornamented with elaborate decorations. Victorian houses often have large bay windows and elegantly proportioned facades with the windows getting gradually smaller as their height from the ground increases. Sashes with four panes of glass are another mark of the Victorian window. The wealthy often chose to have older styles of window added to their property to distinguish themselves from the increasingly common use of plate glass sash windows with the slimmer glazing bars that were once prized.
Sash windows have become far less common during the last century, despite being the favorite style at the beginning of the 20th century, due to the increase in cheap, mass-produced styles of window. An interest in conserving historical styles of architecture has recently revived the demand for sash windows, however. Sash windows today use all the latest technology, but retain the elegance and functionality of traditional sashes, and preserve the historic style of the older houses.