Photographic history of the Charles Collinge hinge

The Charles Collinge hinge available today

Below is an image of the current Charles Collinge hinge still produced today in a range of seven sizes. The main characteristics of the hinges have not changed since their invention and patent were first applied. However over the years the wording on the hinges has changed its style and format several times. The current hinges bears the mark of a hammer at the taper end of the strap and a crown at the opposite end with the wording " CHARLES COLLINGE LAMBETH " appearing in the middle.

Past hinge designs and formats that we are have been made aware of

Over the five years we have been selling Charles Collinge hinges many customers have questioned us whether their hinge looks the same as ours and verse versa. In order to clarify we ask customers to forward a photograph by email and over this time we have become amazed by the range of versions that have come to light. So below we have stated hinges that we recognise to be significant in its history together with other interesting bits of information we have found along the way.

If you should have a different version of Charles Collinge hinge or even an exact date for a building of which they are an original feature please feel free to contact us or email an image with any other information you would like to share.

Circa 1910

These Collinge hinges form part of a stable block belonging to an estate in Oxfordshire. We believe that these hinges are original to the buildings that were constructed in around 1910.

These hinges feature a couple of differences to the present day hinges. In the middle section of the hinge it features the wording " COLLINGE ". The fittings used in fix the hinge to the doors are designed to give a flush finish to the inside of the stable door to prevent injury to the horse. You will notice that these hinges features a top cap fitted to the hinge cup that unscrews to allow a lubricate to be placed within the cup. One observation worth noting is that so far none of these hinges have featured the hammer typically found at the end of the taper, this can be clearly seen in our hinge image seen above.

Unknown date, Collinge hinge

This hinges feature a very large and detailed crown towards the hinge pin with the wording " CHARLES COLLINGE PATENT ".

Early Charles Collinge Hinge, age yet to be confirmed

This hinge is very interesting as the crown seen on the strap element of the hinge is positioned within the curved part of the hinge were the taper blends into the bell that forms and protects the hinge pin. So far we have not seen this on any other. The wording reads " CHARLES COLLINGE PATENT ".

An unusual John Imray version of the Charles Collinge Hinge

This was quite exciting when the photographs came through as although we have seen this hinge style advertised and listed in a price guide from 1866 which can be seen below. This is the first hinge were the name has appeared. These two hinges must have been purchased to replace the two original Left handed hinges for some unknown reason. The hinge bears the markings " JOHN IMRAY BRIDGE ROAD LAMBETH PATENT " and as in the Collinge hinge above the crown is positioned on the shoulder, yet you will notice that the crown is significantly smaller in scale. The Bridge Road and Lambeth marking again tie in with the advertisement seen below and with the written history seen at the bottom of the page as Charles Collinge moved back to 65 Bridge road in 1811, and we know that John Imray moved to 190 Bridge Road to produce his hinges at about 1860. This gives the hinge a manufacturing date of no earlier than 1860.

1866

Advertisement found in the Builders & Contractors Price Book of 1866

Listing of available hinges and prices found in the same publication of 1866

A tapered Collinge hinge together with a highly unusual straight Collinge hinge

The straight hinge bears a simple oval plate towards the bell of the hinge, which is believed to state within it " CHAS COLLINGE & CO LONDON ". The tapered hinge is more along the lines of the conventional style we have become familiar with, again this one bears an oval plate which is differcult to see within the photograph which again states " CHAS COLLINGE & CO LONDON " while the wording across the hinge states " CHARLES COLLINGES LONDON ".

1853

These Collinge were installed as part of this original Victorian prison. As well as the distinctive cranked shape of these they bear again a different configuration of wording " CHARLES COLLINGE PATENT LAMBETH ". It is worth noting that all these hinges are completely original and still fully functional, you will notice that the top hinges are as intended whereas the lower hinges have at some point in the past been cut down in height.

However one major difference between these and the hinges we produce can be seen within the cup element of the hinge which features a top cap that unscrews to allow a lubricate to be placed within the cup.

1851

Charles Collinge under his companies name of Charles Collinge & Co displayed several different inventions at the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London. One of these inventions listed in the official catalogue was working models of patent spherical gate hinges and gate fastenings. The entry for the catalogue can be seen below.

Charles Collinge

Was engaged in mechanical pursuits from an early age and was actively encouraged by his father mentioned below. He was a founder of the Institute of Civil Engineers, becoming a member on the 2 January 1818 at the inaugural meeting at the Kendal Coffee House in Fleet Street and on 25 June 1820 he moved the motion that requested the secretary of the Institution to prepare an invitation to Thomas Telford to become its first President. He held patents on axletrees (1833) and on spherical hinges. Under the title of Collinge & Mainwaring, he occupied a site developed for letting by George Smart from before June 1824 and, later, the manufacture of his hinges was continued by Arthur Collinge and by John Imray (1820-1902), who took over from Chas Collinge & Co, based at 65 Westminster Bridge Road in about 1860.

John Collinge

Engineer and iron founder, of Lambeth Road, London. He as the father of Charles Collinge and held many patents. In his earliest, for wheelboxes and axles ( November 1787 ), he describes himself as ' cabinet maker ' Subsequent patents include further wheel boxes and axles (1792 and 1811), bearings for sugar mills (1794), ball and socket hinges (1821), door springs (1825) and ships rudders (1830). He left Bridge Road, Lambeth, for Buxton Place, but by 1811 had returned to Bridge Road in Westminster, initially as 'axletree manufacturer'. But by 1821 he referred to himself as an 'engineer'.