Oluf Tostrup
Encyclopedia
Oluf Tostrup was a Norwegian
goldsmith
.
He was born in Christiania
as the son of goldsmith Jacob Tostrup
(1806–1890) and his wife Lina Hjorthøy (1821–1890). He was a great-grandson of priest and topographer Hugo Fredrik Hjorthøy
and a granduncle of Jakob Tostrup Prytz. He did not marry.
His father was the founder and owner of the notable goldsmith company J. Tostrup. He was thus brought into the goldsmith profession at an early age, and studied in Oslo
, Berlin
, Paris
and Copenhagen
between 1858 and 1865. In 1865 he returned to Norway, in 1870 he became a partner in J. Tostrup. Influenced by art industry abroad, he did pioneering work in filigree
design, as well as reviving vitreous enamel
art in Norway. He also cooperated with architects such as Henrik Thrap-Meyer
, Christian Christie
and Torolf Prytz
in making new designs. He was a co-founder of Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design
in 1876, and was a member of the board of directors for the rest of his life. He donated significant sums to the museum in his will
.
He became the sole owner of J. Tostrup in 1881, but suffered an early death in July 1882. After his death, his father took over the company again. At the same time, Torolf Prytz became formally affiliated with J. Tostrup as head designer. Prytz became a co-owner in 1884, and also married Oluf's niece Hilda. When his father died in 1890, Torolf Prytz became the sole owner (until 1938) and carried on the legacy.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
goldsmith
Goldsmith
A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Since ancient times the techniques of a goldsmith have evolved very little in order to produce items of jewelry of quality standards. In modern times actual goldsmiths are rare...
.
He was born in Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
as the son of goldsmith Jacob Tostrup
Jacob Tostrup
Jacob Ulrich Holfeldt Tostrup was a Norwegian goldsmith.-Biography:He was born in Hjelmeland in Rogaland county, Norway. He was the son of infantry captain Nicolay Tostrup and his wife Thale Margrethe Resen Holfeldt...
(1806–1890) and his wife Lina Hjorthøy (1821–1890). He was a great-grandson of priest and topographer Hugo Fredrik Hjorthøy
Hugo Fredrik Hjorthøy
Hugo Fredrik Hjorthøy was a Norwegian priest and topographer.He was born in Klepp as the son of vicar Hugo Fredrik Hjorthøy and his wife Inger Beata Schreuder . His father died before his birth, and hence Hjorthøy was sent to his mother's family in Fana. He was tutored by Johan Sebastian...
and a granduncle of Jakob Tostrup Prytz. He did not marry.
His father was the founder and owner of the notable goldsmith company J. Tostrup. He was thus brought into the goldsmith profession at an early age, and studied in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
between 1858 and 1865. In 1865 he returned to Norway, in 1870 he became a partner in J. Tostrup. Influenced by art industry abroad, he did pioneering work in filigree
Filigree
Filigree is a delicate kind of jewellery metalwork made with twisted threads usually of gold and silver or stitching of the same curving motifs. It often suggests lace, and in recent centuries remains popular in Indian and other Asian metalwork, and French from 1660 to the late 19th century...
design, as well as reviving vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in U.S. English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C...
art in Norway. He also cooperated with architects such as Henrik Thrap-Meyer
Henrik Thrap-Meyer
Henrik Thrap-Meyer was a Norwegian architect.-Career:Henrik Thrap-Meyer was born in Bergen, Norway. He was educated at Polytechnicum in Hannover and Zurich between the years 1855-1860. He was a teacher at Bergen's Drawing School from 1860 to 1863...
, Christian Christie
Christian Christie
Eilert Christian Brodtkorb Christie was a Norwegian architect.-Personal life:He was born in Bergen as a son of customs officer Werner Hosewinckel Christie and Hansine Langsted...
and Torolf Prytz
Torolf Prytz
Torolf Prytz was a Norwegian architect, goldsmith and politician for the Liberal Party. He led the goldsmith company J. Tostrup from 1890 to 1938, having inherited it from his grandfather-in-law Jacob Tostrup...
in making new designs. He was a co-founder of Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design
Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design
The Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design is a museum in Oslo, Norway. Since 2003 it is administratively a part of the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design.-History:...
in 1876, and was a member of the board of directors for the rest of his life. He donated significant sums to the museum in his will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
.
He became the sole owner of J. Tostrup in 1881, but suffered an early death in July 1882. After his death, his father took over the company again. At the same time, Torolf Prytz became formally affiliated with J. Tostrup as head designer. Prytz became a co-owner in 1884, and also married Oluf's niece Hilda. When his father died in 1890, Torolf Prytz became the sole owner (until 1938) and carried on the legacy.