Flaske-Peters Samling

The Life and Legacy of Bottle Peter

Flaske-Peters Samling preserves the remarkable life's work of Peter Jacobsen (1873–1960), a craftsman whose dedication to his art became legendary on the island of Ærø. Over his lifetime, Jacobsen created more than 1,700 ships in bottles, 50 large ship models, and approximately 70 decorated cigar boxes—a testament to patience, precision, and an unwavering passion for maritime miniature art. Each ship in a bottle required an average of 2½ days of meticulous work, demonstrating the extraordinary commitment this artisan brought to every single creation. His work transformed a humble hobby into a life-defining achievement that continues to captivate visitors more than six decades after his death.

A Collection of Extraordinary Diversity

The museum displays hundreds of Jacobsen's ships in bottles, each one a unique work of art bearing witness to his dexterity and keen eye for detail and proportion. The bottles themselves tell their own story—sourced from across the globe, they include vessels from Alaska, Singapore, Shanghai, and London, ranging from small to large, thick to thin, round to long-necked. Beyond traditional glass bottles, the collection features square whisky bottles, greenish liqueur bottles, Chinese beer bottles, and Russian vodka bottles. Some bottles are shaped like novelty forms: a clown, a parrot, and a pig, each serving as an imaginative frame for the miniature ships within. This diversity reflects both Jacobsen's resourcefulness and his artistic vision in transforming everyday objects into display vessels for his creations.

Setting and Historical Context

The collection has been housed in Ærøskøbing's former poorhouse—officially known as R. Knudsen Clausens Fattigstiftelse—since 1943, creating a poignant juxtaposition between the building's austere historical purpose and the delicate artistry it now contains. Located on Smedegade in the heart of the charming town, the museum occupies a place of cultural significance within Ærøskøbing's maritime heritage. The building itself carries the weight of local history, having served the community's most vulnerable residents before being transformed into a space celebrating one man's extraordinary creative vision. This transformation from poorhouse to museum reflects the island's broader evolution and its recognition of Jacobsen's cultural importance.

Craftsmanship and Artistic Achievement

Every ship in a bottle represents far more than a novelty or curiosity—it is a demonstration of advanced hand-eye coordination, spatial reasoning, and artistic sensibility. The construction of each vessel required Jacobsen to work within the physical constraints of the bottle's opening, assembling intricate wooden hulls, rigging, and sails using specialized tools and techniques developed over decades of practice. The variety of bottle shapes and sizes meant that no two ships could be constructed identically; each required custom adaptation and problem-solving. This combination of technical skill, creative adaptation, and sheer perseverance elevates Jacobsen's work beyond mere handicraft into the realm of fine art, worthy of museum preservation and scholarly attention.