Jens was born in Silkeborg in Denmark. He had a wonderful childhood in the idyllic Danish countryside, full of boating, fishing and camping out under the stars. After school he served a four and a half year apprenticeship as a Goldsmith, and in 1969 he graduated from the Academy of Arts and Crafts of Denmark. He won the coveted Silver Medal for Excellence from the Danish Gold and Silversmiths Guild.
After a compulsory year in the Army, Jens came to London. When he arrived he was given lodgings in Old Church Street just off the Kings Road in Chelsea, an amazing place to start London life for a young man from rural Denmark! He then worked as a Goldsmith, jewellery designer and workshop manager in Chelsea and then in Old Bond Street.
During the 1980's Jens had his own studio workshop and designed and made his own collection in gold and platinum. He worked with DeBeers and Intergold with many of their advertising campaigns and supplied many prestigious retail jewellery shops in the capital.
By 1990 Jens had moved to Sussex and through a close friend had been introduced to the world of Miniatures. He had always been fascinated by OO gauge trains, ships and model making. Jens found that he got immense enjoyment from making 1/12th scale silver and this work continues to delight him. He was lucky enough to be introduced to Caroline Hamilton and was invited to attend the London Dollshouse Fair in May 1991... From there his interest and enjoyment of both researching antique silver and working in miniature has grown. He particularly enjoys meeting his clients and is always amazed by their enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject.
Jens has an extensive collection of pieces for sale comprising Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian tea sets, inkstands and candelabras to name but a few. He is also well known for his limited edition pieces and his private one-off commissions. Some of Jens' silver miniatures incorporate other materials such as porcelain, wood and leather bound books. He has worked closely on these with other craftsmen including John Hodgson, Geoffrey Wannacott, Terry Curran, Tina Krijnen Bruin and Henny Staring-Egberts.
In 2007 and 2008 Jens added to his awards by winning two Silver prizes in the Craftsmanship and Design Awards presented by the Goldsmiths' Craft and Design Council at Goldsmith's Hall.
Jens attends fairs throughout the year in the UK, Europe, America and Japan. He also teaches ?Master Classes' encouraging miniature enthusiasts to add to their repertoire by learning how to drill, file, hammer, saw, pierce and carve silver to form bowls, trays and other items for their own Dolls Houses. These classes are held twice a year in Ursem in Holland, in July in the beautiful little seaside town of Tune, south of Copenhagen and in Norway. Details of the classes and of previous and future projects will be found on this web site.
Jens lives in West Sussex with his wife and 2 children... and the family's two beloved Cocker Spaniels. He is delighted to be able to work from home and equally delighted to be able to travel the world with his miniatures several times a year!
