A Lifelong Love of Enamel

As a third-generation goldsmith himself, Per Bredo Østby has been a discerning and dedicated collector of Norwegian enamels throughout his entire life. Over the years, he has managed to acquire a significant collection, and in 2020 he decided to donate this collection to Jugendstilsenteret here in Ålesund. It consists of beautiful objects of very high quality, with a wide range of works, techniques and expressions from the central Norwegian enamel artists who worked in the decades around 1900, including Torolf Prytz, Gustav Gaudernack og Marius Hammer. The collection represents an era when enamels became the pride of Norwegian goldsmithing and won international acclaim. The collection thereby serves as a unique presentation of a crucial yet largely unknown piece of Norwegian art and goldsmithing history.

We are both extremely grateful and proud that we were chosen to be the custodians of this unique donation, and we are committed to preserving it for the future and to making it accessible, to the benefit and enjoyment of the general public and scholars alike.