Fine traditions and Danish design

Forged from the finest metals and handcrafted by expert silversmiths, oil lamps always burned brightly in the state rooms of seagoing vessels and glowed in the cosy cabins of railway compartments passing through dark Alpine passes in the good old days of the late 19th century.

From these early days to the present, we have maintained the spirit and tradition of these fine oil lamps, all designed and crafted using tools that have been handed down from generation to generation. E.S.Sørensen oil lamps are made almost entirely by hand. Working methods remain unchanged.

Our products are made from the finest quality brass and stainless steel and drawing on our heritage and traditions, we take pride in producing each lamp meticulously, paying special attention to form and detail. Each piece is finished by hand and individually numbered showing the care that we are pleased to take to satisfy our customers.

Whether you prefer classical or modern, oil or electric, the E.S.Sørensen range features lamps to suit every kind of lifestyle and interior, for your home, office or in the cabins of your yacht.

We are delighted to present the E.S.Sørensen lamp range, designed in the spirit of old tradition. As you surf through this site, it is worth remembering that despite changes in times and fashions, oil lamps born more than a century ago remain one of the lasting symbols of life's soft pleasures.

Times may change, but we have remained constant; we will not compromise on quality nor the pride we take in our work. E.S.Sørensen oil lamps will continue to be the worlds finest!

1842: G.W. Frydenlund completes his apprenticeship as a plumber. He starts producing lanterns for Danish lighthouses and was privileged to become the official lamp maker to the Royal Danish lighthouse authority.

1859: The round burner, as used today, is introduced by the lighting company King.

1887: The company is taken over by the manager at that time, J.A.V. Harnisch, who expands the production of lighthouse installations, not only in Denmark but also on the Faro islands, Iceland and the West Indies. By now, production also includes letter boxes and ships equipment and they are the first company in Denmark to produce certified ships lanterns.

1922: G.W. Harnisch takes over from his father and continues expanding the company's product range.

The focus changes to the classic lamps of the 19th century and the further development of interior lighting for ships cabins, train compartments and state rooms.

1986: G.W. Harnisch goes bankrupt and his sales manager, Erik Sandahl Sørensen, takes over most of the tooling for the oil lamps and continues production under the name of E.S. Sørensen. With his background as a jeweller and watchmaker, E.S. Sørensen has an eye for detail and design and uses these skills to raise the level of craftsmanship to the superior standard we know today.

2000: E.S. Sørensen decides to retire and spend more time cruising the Scandinavian seas in the summer and travel south during the winter as a tourist guide.

The company is taken over as a partnership by the engineers Poul Brandt Jensen and Peter Seidelin Jessen.

2013: E.S. Sørensen dies.