Adolf Delcomyn

Adolf Dalcomyn painted by Niels Vinding Dorph

Ernst Adolf Joseph Delcomyn (2 January 1828 – 9 March 1913) was a London-based Danish businessman. He served as Danish consul-general in London from 1783 to 1803. He was the father half-brother of gunsmith Carl Heinrich Delcomyn.

Early life

Delcomyn was born on 2 October 1828 in Odense, the son of gunsmith Carl Henrik Delcomyn (1771–1849) and his second wife Johanne Rebecca Dorothea Volkens (1788–1872).[1] His father was married in 1793 to Dorothea Conradine Ridiger (1776–1859), but this marriage was later dissolved. In this first marriage, he was the father of gunsmith Carl Heinrich Delcomyn. The father had worked for the local Kronborg Rifle Manufactory before moving to Odense. Delcomun's elder brother Carl Heinrich Delcomyn (1807–1864) was one of the leading Danish gunsmiths of the time.[2]

After receiving very little schooling, Delcomyn was articled to a merchant in Denmark. In 1849, he moved to Gamburg, where he started working for Hendrik Pontoppidan. Later, he continued to London to work for Regnar Westenholz, Pontoppidan's business partner.[1]

Career

On 1 May 1854, he and his brother Frederik started the company Fr. & A.Delcomyn, specializing in the import of agricultural products from Denmark and Sweden.[3] In spite of being four years younger than his brother, Delcomyn headed the operations. The import of barley from Denmark was of particular importance for the company in the beginning. When the Danish grain export saw significant downturn in the 1870s and 1880s, Delcomyn responded by starting to import grain from Russia, Australia and the United States. At the same time, when the Danish meat export saw an upturn, Fr. & A.Delcomyn began a large-scale import of livestock (mostly cattle) and processed meat products (mostly pork). The company was a co-founder of Aarhus Svingeslagteri, a meat processing plant in Aarhus. Another business arm was the import of Danish butter.[1]

In 1883, Delcomyn succeeded Anders Peter Westenholz as Danish consul-general in London. He acted as advisor for Queen Alexandra.[1]

Personal life

On 16 April 1856, in Summerset, Delcomyn married Anna Comb (c. 1833–1915). Their youngest daughter was married to the Swedish businessman Erik August Bolinder.[1]

A portrait of Delcomyn by Niels Vinding Dorph was awarded the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts' Annual Medal for the painting in 1904. It is now in the collection of Odense Museum.[4]

Awards

In 1886, Delcomyn was created a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog. In 1888, he was awarded the order's Cross of Honour. He became a Knight's Commander of the Second Class in 1782 and a Knight's Commander of the First Class in 1901.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Adolf Delcomyn". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish). Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  2. ↑ "Delcomyn Kiöbenhavn Pistolpar". huntershouse.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  3. ↑ Faber, Harald. "Danske og Norske i London og Deres Kirke" (PDF) (in Danish). Erslev & Hasselbach. p. 154. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  4. ↑ "N.V. Dorph (maler)". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish). Retrieved 9 August 2025.
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