Treasures of the Hardman Archive.

This article focuses on the archival materials of John Hardman & Co., a Birmingham-based firm renowned for its stained glass production during the Gothic Revival, and uses a case study of six windows commissioned between 1895 and 1901 for St James’s Church, Finchampstead, Berkshire. The Hardman Archive, comprising graphic materials (sketch designs, cartoons, warehouse books) and extensive documentary records (correspondence, cost sheets, sales ledgers), provides detailed insights into the firm’s working practices, client interactions, design processes, pricing, and profitability. The case study reveals how donor preferences and negotiations influenced design outcomes and costs, with the firm balancing artistic considerations and commercial constraints. The article highlights the archive’s value for research into Victorian stained glass production, illustrating the interplay between client demands and industrial-scale craftsmanship in a major UK stained glass firm.