Israel B. Melchior
Illustration — Israel B. Melchior Israel Berendt Melchior (12 May 1827 – 7 September 1893) was a Danish engineer, manufacturer, and amateur photographer. He is especially remembered for his photographs of the renowned author Hans Christian Andersen.
Also recorded as Israel Berendt Melchior
Israel B. Melchior
Jens Petersen · Public domain
- Born
- Israel B. Melchior was born on 12 May 1827. · Copenhagen.
- Died
- Israel B. Melchior died on 7 September 1893. · Copenhagen.
- Nationality
- Kingdom of Denmark
- Occupation
- photographer · writer · engineer · industrialist
- Languages
- Danish
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Documentary summary
Illustration — Israel B. Melchior Israel Berendt Melchior (12 May 1827 – 7 September 1893) was a Danish engineer, manufacturer, and amateur photographer. He is especially remembered for his photographs of the renowned author Hans Christian Andersen.
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Note VALÉORINE
Israel B. Melchior was a Danish engineer, industrialist and photographer, among other activities. Born in Copenhagen, the engineer died in Copenhagen. Languages used include Danish.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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wikidata · Q6086792 · wikipedia · Israel B. Melchior
In this article
Career
Career
Born on 12 May 1827, Israel Berendt Melchior trained as a civil engineer. In 1874, he purchased the Valdemarshaab paper factory, located just north of Køge, for 60,000 kroner after it had gone bankrupt following a flood in 1872. By 1875, Melchior had fully renovated the factory and constructed Søvang, a large Italian-style director's residence adjacent to the site. However, in October of that same year, the factory was completely destroyed by fire and was never rebuilt. Melchior lived in the villa from 1875 to 1884 with his wife (and cousin) Johanne Melchior (1848–1911), with whom he had four children. Known for their hospitality, the couple frequently hosted social gatherings, sometimes organizing soirées and short plays in their home.
Gallery
Gallery
• Illustration — Israel Melchior: Family gathering at Rolighed in 1867 with Hans Christian Andersen (third from left) • Illustration — Israel Melchior: Hans Christian Andersen, portrait at Rolighed (1867) • Illustration — Israel Melchior: Rolighed, Østerbro • Illustration — Israel Melchior: Family group at Rolighed with Hans Christian Andersen and Moritz G. Melchior
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Israel B. Melchior was born at Copenhagen.
Birthplace
Israel B. Melchior died at Copenhagen.
Deathplace
Copenhagen.
Birth place
Amateur photographer
Melchior was an enthusiastic amateur photographer. When constructing Søvang, he specifically designed the upper floor to include a large photographic studio with an overhead window and an east-facing glass wall to optimize natural light. He was particularly known for photographing annual family gatherings at Rolighed, the family mansion in Østerbro, near Copenhagen. These gatherings often included artists and writers, most notably Hans Christian Andersen, who became acquainted with the family in 1862 and visited frequently until his death in 1875. From 1867, Melchior captured several family group photographs with Andersen, as well as a number of portraits of the author.
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q6086792: Israel B. Melchior
General reference · Wikidata
reference work
- “Israel B. Melchior”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1."En start på Køges industrialisering" , Køge Arkiverne. . Retrieved 9 December 2010.
- 2."Fra direktørbolig til undervisningssted" , Køge Arkiverne. . Retrieved 9 December 2010.
- 3.Nicolaj Bøgh, "H.C. Andersens sidste dage" , H.C. Andersen Information. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
- 4."I Was Posing for The Photographer Today – Twenty Portraits of H.C. Andersen" , Odense City Museums. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
References
Citations
References
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authority record
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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