Georg Jensen A/S
A Danish design company known for silverware, jewellery, and Scandinavian luxury products.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Georg Jensen A/S is a Danish design company whose historical identity was built around silverware and the work of silversmith and designer Georg Jensen. Founded in Copenhagen in 1904, the business developed from a small artisan workshop into an international house associated with Danish decorative arts, functional design, and high-quality metalwork. Its products and collaborations have linked traditional silversmithing with modern Scandinavian forms, allowing the company to operate across both luxury accessories and design-led household goods. Georg Jensen was trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and initially explored sculpture, modelling, and ceramics. After working at the Bing & Grøndahl porcelain factory and operating a small pottery workshop, he returned to silversmithing in 1901 under the influence of master craftsman Mogens Ballin. In 1904, Jensen invested his limited capital in a workshop and shop at 36 Bredgade in Copenhagen. The early business combined the founder’s artistic direction with the production and retail of crafted silver objects. The company began international expansion before the First World War. It opened a Berlin shop in 1909, won a gold medal at the 1910 International Exhibition in Brussels, and expanded its Copenhagen workshop and retail premises in 1912. It later received the Grand Prix at the 1915 world’s fair. The First World War, shortages of silver, recession, and wider commercial instability placed serious pressure on the company. To preserve the business, Georg Jensen sought investment from his brother-in-law Thorolf Møller and client Peder Anders Pedersen. Pedersen subsequently assumed increasing managerial control while Jensen remained the principal creative figure. International distribution became especially important through the company’s New York branch, established in 1924. Frederik Lunning, the American agent, promoted the products in prominent hotels and developed the company’s Fifth Avenue presence. The New York operation helped sustain the business during difficult years in Denmark. During the economic depression, the company also expanded into silver-plated and steel products through the PLATA metalware factory, broadening its manufacturing base beyond solid silver. Following Georg Jensen’s death in 1935, the company’s design language continued to develop through a succession of influential artists and designers. Anders Hostrup-Pedersen, who entered management in 1931 and became managing director in 1937, supported collaborations with figures including Sigvard Bernadotte, Henning Koppel, Søren Georg Jensen, Magnus Stephensen, and Nanna Ditzel. Their work strengthened the company’s post-war international reputation and connected Georg Jensen with the wider development of Danish modern design. The ownership structure changed several times in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Royal Copenhagen acquired Georg Jensen in 1972 and combined it with other Scandinavian design businesses in the Royal Scandinavia Group. Axcel Capital Partners acquired that group in 2001, and Investcorp acquired Georg Jensen from Axcel in 2012. In December 2023, Fiskars Group acquired Georg Jensen for 155 million euros, bringing the Danish design company into a broader international portfolio of consumer and design brands. The company remains associated with Scandinavian craftsmanship and internationally distributed design products.
History
Georg Jensen’s history began with the career of its founder, who trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and initially pursued sculpture and ceramics. He worked as a modeller at Bing & Grøndahl and operated a small pottery workshop before returning to metalwork. In 1901, he resumed silversmithing with Mogens Ballin, an experience that helped establish the artistic and craft foundation of his later company. In 1904, Jensen opened a small silversmithy and shop at 36 Bredgade in Copenhagen. The enterprise quickly gained attention for combining artisanal silverwork with practical and decorative design. Expansion followed with a Berlin shop in 1909, recognition at the International Exhibition in Brussels in 1910, and larger Copenhagen facilities in 1912. The company won the Grand Prix at the 1915 world’s fair, reinforcing its international profile. The First World War created financial and supply problems. The Berlin operation encountered difficulties, while shortages of silver and post-war economic disruption affected the wider business. In 1917, Jensen obtained financial assistance from Thorolf Møller and Peder Anders Pedersen. Their investment increased the company’s capital and shifted greater operational authority toward Pedersen. In 1924, Pedersen became managing director as the company faced recession and commercial failures. Jensen continued to focus on artistic matters, including a period in Paris after opening a branch there in 1925, and remained the company’s creative leader until his death in 1935. The company’s New York branch, established in 1924, became a major international asset. Frederik Lunning, its agent, promoted Georg Jensen products through leading hotels and developed a Fifth Avenue store. This American business generated important orders and helped offset weakness in the Danish operation. During the early 1930s, the company also supported broader production through the PLATA factory, which made silver-plated and steel goods at a time when solid-silver production was commercially difficult. Anders Hostrup-Pedersen joined management in 1931 and became managing director after his father’s death in 1937. Under his leadership, the company recruited prominent designers and artists, including Sigvard Bernadotte, Henning Koppel, Søren Georg Jensen, Magnus Stephensen, and Nanna Ditzel. Their work allowed the company to preserve its quality standards while introducing new forms and strengthening its association with Danish modernism. Hostrup-Pedersen also promoted Danish craft internationally through exhibitions at institutions including the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Royal Copenhagen purchased Georg Jensen in 1972 and incorporated it into the Royal Scandinavia Group alongside several Scandinavian design businesses. Axcel Capital Partners acquired Royal Scandinavia in 2001. Investcorp later acquired Georg Jensen from Axcel in 2012. Fiskars Group acquired the company in December 2023 for 155 million euros. Under Fiskars, Georg Jensen continues as an active Danish design business with a heritage centered on silverware and a broader portfolio of luxury and household products.
- 2023
Fiskars Group acquires Georg Jensen
[1]Fiskars Group acquires Georg Jensen in December for 155 million euros.
- 2012
Investcorp acquires Georg Jensen
[1]Investcorp acquires Georg Jensen from Axcel in a transaction reported at 140 million US dollars.
- 2001
Royal Scandinavia is acquired by Axcel
[1]Private equity group Axcel Capital Partners acquires Royal Scandinavia Group.
- 1972
Royal Copenhagen acquires Georg Jensen
[1]Georg Jensen becomes part of Royal Copenhagen and the resulting Royal Scandinavia Group.
- 1937
Anders Hostrup-Pedersen becomes managing director
[1]Following Peder Anders Pedersen’s death, Anders Hostrup-Pedersen takes over as managing director and later guides the company’s post-war development.
- 1924
New York branch opens
[1]A New York branch is established, with Frederik Lunning later playing a major role in its development.
- 1917
New investment stabilizes the company
[1]Thorolf Møller and Peder Anders Pedersen invest in the business during wartime shortages and financial pressure.
- 1915
Grand Prix at the world’s fair
[1]The company wins the Grand Prix at the 1915 world’s fair, supporting its international reputation.
- 1912
Copenhagen workshop and shop expand
[1]The company moves into a larger workshop and retail shop in Copenhagen.
- 1910
Recognition at the Brussels International Exhibition
[1]Georg Jensen receives a gold medal for the work displayed at the International Exhibition in Brussels.
Products and positioning
A heritage Danish design and luxury-goods house positioned around Scandinavian aesthetics, craftsmanship, silverware, and collaborations with prominent designers.
Tableware · 1904
Silverware
Silverware is the historical core of Georg Jensen. The company’s early reputation was established through crafted silver objects that combined traditional silversmithing with functional and sculptural design. Silverware remains central to the brand’s heritage and visual identity.
Metalware · 1931
Silver-plated and steel goods
The company broadened its material and price range during the economic difficulties of the early 1930s through production of silver-plated and steel products. These goods allowed Georg Jensen to extend its design language beyond solid silver and serve a wider market.
Jewellery
Jewellery
Jewellery is part of Georg Jensen’s contemporary design positioning, applying the company’s Scandinavian forms and metalworking heritage to personal accessories. Specific collection details are not established by the supplied reference material.
Homeware
Home accessories
Georg Jensen’s design scope includes decorative and functional household objects associated with Scandinavian metalwork and refined utility. The supplied material identifies household metal products but does not provide a complete current catalogue.
Marketing campaigns
- 2022Prince Felix brand modelling
Denmark
Prince Felix of Denmark became a model for Georg Jensen, providing a documented association between the brand and a prominent Danish public figure.
Outcome. Public brand representation
Brand decisions
2023
Fiskars Group acquisitionM&ABackground
Georg Jensen was owned by Investcorp after its 2012 acquisition from Axcel.
Action taken
Fiskars Group acquired Georg Jensen in December 2023.
Aftermath
Georg Jensen became part of Fiskars Group’s international brand portfolio.
Acquisition price. 155 million euros (December 2023)
1972
Join the Royal Scandinavia GroupM&ABackground
Royal Copenhagen sought to combine established Scandinavian design and craft businesses.
Action taken
Royal Copenhagen purchased Georg Jensen and merged it with other design companies into the Royal Scandinavia Group.
Aftermath
Georg Jensen operated within a larger Scandinavian design group until subsequent ownership changes.
1931
Expand into silver-plated and steel productsStrategyBackground
The economic depression and constraints affecting solid-silver production made a broader manufacturing strategy commercially necessary.
Action taken
Peder Anders Pedersen established the PLATA metalware factory to produce silver-plated and steel goods.
Aftermath
The company gained access to a wider product and material range, although Georg Jensen opposed the move.
1917
Accept outside investment during wartime pressureStrategyBackground
The business faced silver shortages, financial strain, and difficult trading conditions during the First World War.
Action taken
Georg Jensen sought financial support from Thorolf Møller and Peder Anders Pedersen, who invested in the company.
Aftermath
The investment helped preserve the business but increased Pedersen’s influence over its management.
Share capital. 440,000 Danish kroner invested → 1.2 million Danish kroner after a further investment two years later (1917–1919)
Sources1 sources
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