1916
Søren Matz's great grandfather Richard Matz was born and raised on Thurø Island, Denmark, where he apprenticed as a shipbuilder. From there he moved to Nysted, before taking the role of Managing Director for Nakskov Shipbuilding, which was established in 1916. He had many great ships built over the years – among them the "School Ship of Denmark" and the pictured four-masted schooner/Greenland expedition ship Gertrud Rask (built 1923) which was wrecked in Allied service off Nova Scotia in February 1942. Other ships built at the shipyard became trading ships and ventured as far as Shanghai and other Asian ports. The tradition of creating long-lasting fine woodwork for both ships and fine furniture has been handed down for generations in the Matz family.
