Topic: Stangate Glass Works J. F Christy John Fell Christy

[flying free]

There is so little information out there for this person and glassworks.

The items I've seen have seemed to mostly be white or black opaline glass, hand enamelled.

I am not sure this glass works was a manufacturer of glass but maybe a glass decorator?

I've come across some interesting (curious?) information so I thought I'd make a new thread.


- I think he died April 6th 1851 aged 39.  So this was the year of the Great Exhibition.
Source Gentlemans Magazine 1851 page 572 ( I found a marriage item elsewhere for another son called Joseph Fell Christy so presume his brother)
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Gentleman_s_Magazine_and_Historical/M7bLGxCkwZYC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=john+fell+christy&pg=RA4-PA572&printsec=frontcover

Under J.F. Christy Stangate the V&A says:
'The V&A has 4 works related to A. J. F. Christy, Stangate Glass Works.
Made between 1844 and 1854, these objects form part of the Ceramics Collection. Related makers include Felix Summerly's Art Manufactures.'

If the obituary I found is correct and he died in 1851 then I guess it was a short period of activity for him 1844-1851 not 1854.


- He wrote a letter about the durability of rotary engines to the Mechanics Magazine 1845
page 21
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Iron/DVA4AAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=stangate+glass-works&pg=PA21&printsec=frontcover

- He registered a design for an 'improved coal plate'
https://glassian.org/Prism/Patent/GB1841D742/drawing.jpg

- In 1850 he was awarded a Silver Medal from the Royal Society of the Arts for his painting on glass - This despite Bacchus submitting numerous  cased coloured glass items - bemusing award
see page 13 for all the enamelled items he submitted:
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Catalogue_of_Specimens_of_Recent_British/nkbp-Bq5qDQC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=bacchus,+green,+green+glas&pg=PA13&printsec=frontcover

It seems Christy's items that won the Silver  were like this:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_1880-0513-3?selectedImageId=1613774275
and this
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1087/vase-a-j-f/?carousel-image=2018KX0325

In comparison Bacchus items might have been like this from the description:
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O326654/decanter-and-stopper-george-bacchus-and/

Personally I'd have given the award to Bacchus 



- There is a registered design generously put on the board by Paul here - for 1847 - I wonder if it's enamelled?
https://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,69201.msg385543.html#msg385543

Interestingly there is a decanter in a similar design in the V&A made for Felix Summerly's Art Manufacture.  It is stated it's made by J. F. Christy Stangate but right at the bottom it says 'Made in Bohemia' (??)
quote
'Designed by Richard Redgrave for Summerly's Art Manufactures, made by A. J. F. Christy, Stangate Glass Works. A "caraffe and glass" were advertised by Summerlys's Art Manufactures in December of 1847 for 17/6d (0.87 1/2p). Inscription: "FS" in monogramme, ". REDGRAVE A.R.A." in cartouche and the initials "CLS" intertwined, enamelled. Made in Bohemia'

https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O2896/well-spring-carafe-redgrave-richard-cb/


- Agincourt has added further information on J. F. Christy here:
https://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,69201.msg385571.html#msg385571



I think it's possible the reason there is so little about Stangate Glass Works and J. F. Christy is that he was only 39 when he died and that was before the Great Exhibition in April 1851. 
As I said, I also wonder if he really was a glass enameller as opposed to a glass maker? 
The V&A have another Felix Summerly designed enamelled piece here and give a detailed explanation of how this links to J. F. Christy:
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1089/well-spring-carafe-redgrave-richard-cb/





There is further information on what I believe is his family and father (William Miller Christy) here:
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Christy-1850
part quote about William, John Fell's father:
'William joined his father's hat-making business, which had a factory at Bermondsey, Surrey.[3] By 1841 this was employing some 500 people, and the firm was apparently reputed to be the biggest hat-making enterprise in the world.[4] '

And also here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Miller_Christy

It's seems Christy's towels are the family.

but also here's Christy's hats:
https://www.christys-hats.com/

[flying free]

He also petitioned parliament in 1843 with a group of 3 other people regarding fire-proofing cement - see page 345 :
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Parliamentary_Papers/RWgSAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=john+fell+christy&pg=PA345&printsec=frontcover

Patent for fireproofing described here:
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Civil_engineer_and_architect_s_journ/meZKzbHru5gC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Christy+Stangate&pg=PA255&printsec=frontcover

And I think he must have been a member of the Entomological Society -see page 135:
https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Transactions_of_the_Entomological_So/s_EKAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=john+fell+christy&pg=RA3-PA135&printsec=frontcover


Traces of a Registration diamond mark on this carafe which is enamelled with the grass fronds
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6336252

In 1845 he was involved in supplying materials for use in a lecture on glass - see page 3
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=oONlx4YiC1YC&pg=PA3&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

I think he was a member of Society of the Fine Arts Scotland as well but can't find the link again now.



I do wonder if he was involved in so many things, that perhaps Stangate glassworks didn't make all their own glass but that he enamelled glass? and/ or supplied vials, pharmaceutical type glass etc. but perhaps didn't make his own?  although having said that, the fireproofing issue might indicate he was keen to fireproof his premises.

Have just found that in 1839 it is noted he had some years earlier made optical glass for telescopes:
Royal Astronomical Society page 167

https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Memoirs_of_the_Royal_Astronomical_Societ/cqcUAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=stangate+glass+works&pg=RA1-PA167&printsec=frontcover

[flying free]

In 1832 the proprietor of Stangate Glass-works was a Mr Green - see page 250:

Was Pellatt, Pellatt & Green at one point?  I wonder if it's the same Mr Green?

https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Cabinet_Cyclopaedia_Arts/bW5BAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=stangate+glass+works&pg=PA331&printsec=frontcover