Scandinavian ceramics, table lamp

Herman August Kähler

Denmark (1846 - 1917)

Herman August Kähler is the son of Herman Kähler. In 1839, Herman Kähler founded "Kähler Keramik" that produced stoves until 1888. In 1872 his son Herman August Kähler inherited the manufacture and developped the production of enamel and ceramic art that would become famous. He oversaw the production until his death in 1917.

Entrepreneur and artist, he experimented with enamel techniques. The brilliant colors have become his trademark, especially the bright red. Usually this enamel color was used only for decorative reasons. But at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1889, Herman August Kähler exposed a ceramic piece that was completely immersed in a shiny metallic red glaze. With his signature, HAK, the brilliant red became  Kähler's trademark. The creations of Herman August Kähler have been exhibited all over the world, and are included in all the collections of the museums of Paris, New York, Chicago, Malmö, Stockholm, Brussels, Berlin and San Francisco.

After his death, two other generations succeeded him at Kähler Keramik, which was bought by the glass maker Homelgaard in 2006.