Page 10 - Sotheby's May 10th 2017 London Important Chinese Art
P. 10
PROPERTY FROM
A DANISH PRIVATE
COLLECTION
LOTS 101 107A
Vilhelm Meyer in Honorary
Vice- Consul uniform, 1905
Vilhelm Meyer (1876-1935) was the founder and Besides his business interests, Meyer also
president of Anderson Myer and Co., which was served as Honorary Vice-Consul at the Royal Danish
established in Shanghai in 1906. It quickly became Consulate in Shanghai from 1905 to 1909. He
one of the largest companies in China specialising married Kirsten Bramsen in Shanghai in October
in the importation of building materials such as 1909 and they had four daughters. The Dehua
iron, steel and glass. The company was oated
on the New York stock exchange in 1915 and was gures were collected on his extensive travels
subsequently able to expand its interest in China throughout China and decorated the library at
and to become the sole agent for General Electric their Avenue Road home in Shanghai. The images
in China. At its 25th anniversary in 1931, it had reproduced here are from the publication Open
nine branches in China and had diversi ed into Doors: Vilhelm Meyer and the Establishment of
construction and manufacturing and was eventually General Electric in China, by Christopher Bo
taken over by General Electric after Vilhelm’s death Bramsen, the grandson of Vilhelm and Kristen
in 1935. Meyer. It gives an interesting and personal insight
into this pioneering Danish family in Shanghai in the
early years of the 20th century.
1876 1935 1905 09
1909 10
1906 Kirsten
1915 Bramsen
1931 Open Doors: Vilhelm Meyer and the
Establishment of General Electric in China
1935 Christopher Bo Bramsen
Vilhelm Meyer with colleagues at Anderson Myer and Co, 1906 The library of the Avenue Road house in Shanghai
8 SOTHEBY’S
