Topic: Island Glass Guernsey

[rosieposie]

Thanks Anne, and all the others too.  
The glass world is proving to be very small one, where the glass makers moved about a lot!! No wonder so many of the animals look similar.
I wonder who made the Glass squirrels I have that look very like Wedgwood, but the tails are to one side, and the grey glass is speckled with blue.  I have 2 that are almost identical, and have a gold sticker that says 'Hand Made at Island Glass Studio'.  The box that one of them came in says Manx Crystal....Come on, you chaps and chapesses, see if you can help with this one!!

[Frank]

Island Studio Glass were in Guernsey, Manx Crystal presumably Isle of Man but unless a very short lived studio this is probably imported and wholesaled gift ware through Manx Glass Ltd. You could try and contact them to confirm.

[chopin-liszt]

It was a short-lived studio, the full story is on p.92-3 of Mark Hill's book on  Michael Harris: Mdina Glass and Isle of Wight Studio Glass.
St John's Crystal, arising from Manx Crystal which went bankrupt in '79, was allowed under license for a while to use the Azurene design to make small animals. Unfortunately, the studio violated their exclusive license agreement. Following legal wrangles, they continued for a short while, but without the support of Michael, they went under.

In '82, one of the furnaces was moved from Guernsey Glass to the Isle of Man, and 2 Wedgwood glassmakers were employed there.

[Frank]

One of the employees/principals? c1980 was named Chris and did some studies at ECA. Is he mentioned? I need his surname.

[WhatHo!]

old post but I bumped into this.

Island Glass Works Limited - Isle of Man - (ex Wedgwood) Chris Dodds.

[Frank]

That is amazing, Chris Dodds later? went to Selkirk Glass and then set up his own studio in Scotland which he gave up at some point. Last I heard he was working as a gardener. Peter Holmes could probably add details. He certainly made in a similar vein to Azurene.

[Frank]

I have an Island Glass (IOM) bird which could be Chris Dodds! Packed for Stourbridge Fair, will add a pic if I can remember.