Turners of the Early Modern Period in Denmark

Denmark

• King Friedrich II of Denmark (1534-1588) – No work turned by Friedrich II has survived, although lathes were known to exist at the Kronborg Castle which he rebuit in Elsinore between 1574 and 1585.
• King Friedrich III of Denmark (1609-1670) – Friedrich III was the grandson of Friedrich II. At the Copenhagen Castle (which no longer exists), Friedrich III had a turning chamber for him, his son Christian and his grandson Friedrich. They were instructed by Jakob Jensen Normand.
• King Christian V of Denmark (1646-1699) – Known to have turned at the lathe.
• King Friedrich IV of Denmark (1671-1730) – A turned box with six boxes inside by Friedrich IV has survived.
• King Christian VI of Denmark (1699-1746) – The lathe of Christian VI still exists.
• King Frederick V of Denmark (1723-1766) – Ruled from 1745 to 1766.
• Sophia Magdalena of Denmark (1743-1813) – Sophia Magdalena was the eldest surviving child of King Frederick V of Denmark. She owned a rose engine lathe made by D. de Thura in 1736.
• Lorenz Spengler (1720-1807) – Born in Switzerland, Spengler was an apprentice to Johann Martin Teuber in Regensburg from 1734-1739. In 1743 he went to London (via Holland) where he met the German artists Marcus Tuscher and Johann Lorenz Natter whom he accompanied to Copenhagen later the same year. There he was employed as a turner until 1745, when he was appointed to the royal court under Christian VI and later Frederick V, first as artistic turner and teacher to the royal family and then as director of the Royal Art Cabinet from 1771 until his death. Many of the elaborate and beautiful ivory pieces by Spengler have the date of March 31 because this was Friedrich V''s birthday. Many of his amber pieces were based on designs by Tuscher, such as the chandelier in Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen, designed in 1746 and completed in 1753. Other works in amber made by Spengler, both for the Danish royal family and as diplomatic gifts, also survive at Rosenborg Castle. He also produced work in silver and also coconut, which was considered rare and exotic at the time. He instructed many turners in his shop, including Bauert, Coppi (Koppi), Fischer, Graumann, Adam & Conrad Hahn, Holm, J. J. Schmid, Schwartz, Sindel, and grandnephew Spengler. Many of his works are on display at the Rosenborg Castle, as well as other museums, including Danske Industry Museum in Copenhagen.
• Johann Ephraim Bauert (1726-1799) – Bauert came to Copenhagen in 1752 where he worked with Spengler. Bauert added carved ivory sculptures to Spengler's turned ivory pieces and presumably did some turning as well. He also produced portrait medallions. Several of his works are on display at the Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen.
• Johann Michael Hahn (1714-?) – Apprenticed with Teuber. Later instructed Spengler's sons in the art of turning anatomical parts.
• Hahn, Adam and Conrad – Sons of Johann Michael Hahn. Worked in Spengler's workshop. Produced work similar to Spengler and Teuber.
• Sindel – Originally from Schaffhausen, a city in northern Switzerland, Sindel worked with Spengler in Copenhagen from 1759 to 1765.
• Seyler – Worked with Spengler, primarily as a sculptor of ornate carvings, and possibly did turning as well. Known to have produced work in 1769.
• Johann Conrad Fischer (1773-1854) – Worked in the workshop of Spengler, who was his great uncle (note: relationship unverified).

Sources for information in this section