Holmegaard Glass Factory


Holmegaard Glass Factory is a glass company located in the former municipality of Holmegaard just outside Næstved.

History

The home of Holmegaard Glassworks is located in the town of Fensmark, Holmegaard. The company was founded in 1823 after Count Christian Danneskjold-Samsøe petitioned the Danish king for permission to build a glassworks at Holmegaard Mose. He died before permission was granted. But after his death when permission was finally received his widow, Countess Henriette Danneskjold-Samsøe pursued the project and began production in 1825 of green bottles, moving on to table-glass within its first decade.
Much of its early work was derivative and inconsequential, but between the 1930s and 1980s its fortunes were transformed by the designs of Jacob E. Bang, Per Lütken, and Bang's son, Michael.
Today the company is known for its high-quality products of Danish design.

The Lütken Era

Danish glassmaker Per Lütken worked at Holmegaard from 1942 until his death in 1998, creating some of the factory's finest pieces and all-time classics, such as the "Idelle" series, the "Ships glasses" and the "Provence" bowls.
The work of Per Lütken is still highly rated, especially throughout Scandinavia, and in Denmark and Sweden in particular.
The arrival of Lütken at Holmegaard marked a new beginning in the history of the factory, which once again bloomed after several years of suffering. His aesthetic creations, in timeless designs, appealed to the fashion of the 1960s Denmark, and his creations became a great success throughout the decade and the 1970s.
On September 9, 2008, Holmegaard Glass Factory announced that unless a buyer was found within three months it would be closed due to bankruptcy. This threatened to bring an end to 183 years of glassmaking tradition, widely renowned in Denmark and abroad. The crisis was initially handled in a way that saw the exhibition centre close, while the glass production remained. In 2009, however, all production ceased.

Famous glassmakers at Holmegaard

- Jacob E. Bang
- Per Lütken