Bernhard Hertz (1834–1909) was a Danish goldsmith who established a silver factory in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

named Bernhard Hertz Guldvarefabrik. His former building at Store Kongensgade 23 was listed in the Danish national registry of protected buildings in 1989. His company Bernhard Hertz A/S, founded in 1858, was merged into Lund Copenhagen in 1985.

Early life and background

Bernhard Hertz was born into a well-to-do Jewish family in Copenhagen, He was the fourth of nine children of Abraham Hertz (17991885) and Adelaide Meye (1804–1881). His father owned a tannery at Rosenborggade 5. It was later continued by Bernhard's younger son as Hertz Garveri & Skotøjsfabrik. His maternal grandfather was the merchant (') Jacob Salomon Meyer.

Career

Hertz completed his training as a goldsmith in 1858. His graduation piece, an arm ring, was acquired by Frederick VII for 300

Danish rigsdaler The rigsdaler was the name of several currencies used in Denmark until 1875. The similarly named Reichsthaler, riksdaler and rijksdaalder were used in Germany and Austria-Hungary, Sweden and the Netherlands, respectively. These currencies were of ...

and gifted to Countess Danner. The arm ring is now on display in the

Danish Design Museum The Designmuseum Denmark () is a museum in Copenhagen for Danish and international design and crafts. It features works of famous Danish designers like Arne Jacobsen, Jacob Jensen and Kaare Klint, who was one of the two architects who remodele ...

. Hertz used the money from the sale to set up his own business the same year. He specialized in modern jewellery with flower motifs and replicas of ancient jewellery. The company was a leader in the field of (Art Nouveau) in the early 20th century. To make his jewellery accessible to a wider customer base, Hertz began to produce the replica of contemporary jewellery in silver instead of gold and introduced machine power in the production for rolling and frosting. In 1887, he constructed a multi-storey factory building in a courtyard in

Store Kongensgade Store Kongensgade (; ) is the longest street in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It extends northeast from Kongens Nytorv to Esplanaden, Copenhagen, Esplanaden, running parallel to Bredgade, where it breaks left, continuing northwest to Grønningen, ...

. Hertz died in 1909.

Legacy

The company Bernhard Hertz A/S was acquired by Lund Copenhagen in 1985. Hertz' former silver factory in Store Kongensgade was listed by the

Danish Heritage Agency The Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces () is an agency under the aegis of the Danish Ministry of Culture. The agency carries out the cultural policies of the Danish government within the visual and performing arts, music, literature, museums, h ...

in the Danish national registry of protected buildings in 1989. The factory was built by Hertz' own design. The older building fronting the street, which was also owned by the company, is also a part of the heritage listing. It is from 1850 and was designed by C.O. Aagaard.

References

External links

Lund Copenhagen

at indenforvoldene.dk
Source

Source

Source (villa)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hertz, Bernhard 1834 births 1909 deaths 19th-century Danish metalsmiths Danish goldsmiths Danish silversmiths Danish company founders Danish jewellers Jewellery companies of Denmark Danish companies established in 1858 Design companies established in 1858 Design companies disestablished in 1985 1858 establishments in Denmark 1985 disestablishments in Denmark Listed buildings and structures in Copenhagen

Early life and background

Career

Legacy

See also

References

Further reading

External links