Lauritz Rasmussen

Rasmussen was born on 11 June 1824 in Copenhagen, the son of shopkeeper Niels Rasmussen (1787–1854) and Ane Nielsdatter (1784–1863). In 1839 he became a brazier's apprentice under court brazier H. Dalhoff, a brother of J. B. Dalhoff. He completed his apprenticeship in 1844 and then the following year, together with a couple of friends, went abroad to practice his trade. He initially travelled to Berlin by way of Stettin and then continued to Warsaw. From there he continued alone to Meissen, Munich, Milan and Constantinople. In Munich he took part in the casting of Ludwig Michael Schwanthaler's monumental Bavaria statue. Rasmussen was awarded the title of royal court caster in 1883 and his foundry was listed as Purveyor to the Court of Denmark.

After eight years as a journeyman in Europe, Rasmussen finally returned to Copenhagen in 1852 where he established a small business as a font caster in his father's basement.

After his father's death in 1854, Rasmussen established a zinc and bronze foundry at Åbenrå 22. Rasmussen's technical skill was soon noticed by Gustav Friedrich Hetsch. In 1859 the foundry relocated to larger premises at Sankt Annæ Gade 34 in Christianshavn and eight years later to Læssøesgade 14 in Nørrebro.

Rasmussen married Auguste Emilie Rost (25 January 1829 – 15 May 1885) on 30 April 1855 in Meissen. She was the daughter of vineyard-owner and innkeeper Johann Karl Gottlob Rost (died 1833) and Christiane Friederike Götzin.