Background
Osborne was born in Chicago, Illinois on June 9, 1883 to Anna Maria Jensen (1854-1896) and Peder Matthias Olsen (1849-1896) of Farsund, Norway. His father died of hyperthermia during the 1896 Eastern North America heat wave in Chicago.
Osborne was born in Chicago, Illinois on June 9, 1883 to Anna Maria Jensen (1854-1896) and Peder Matthias Olsen (1849-1896) of Farsund, Norway. His father died of hyperthermia during the 1896 Eastern North America heat wave in Chicago.
Osborne had the following siblings: Jennie Olsen (1881-?), Perry Olsen (1885-1971), and Harriet Olsen (1889-?).
Katherine had two children: Henry Barca (1886-1961) and Leo Barca (1887-1924). In 1900 Osborne was already working as a decorator. Osborne married Augusta Schmidt (1883-1974) on June 3, 1905, in Chicago and had the following children: Perry Olsen (1907-1974) and Evelyn Olsen (1909-2002).
In 1910 he was using the name "Asbjorn T. Olsen".
He died on January 10, 1971, and his funeral notice appeared in the Chicago Tribune on January 11, 1971. Osborne was buried on January 12 at Acacia Park Cemetery, Chicago.
Osborne owned in Chicago (sometimes written as "Osbourne Art Studio") which decorated porcelain and other ceramics. He bought undecorated porcelain from Hutschenreuther and other manufacturers which he then decorated.
Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson write: "There is no question that Osborne did beautiful work, but he is often accused of being a Pickard copyist, and this tends to hurt the value of many Osborne pieces."
1883 Birth of Osborne Olsen in Chicago.
1896 Death of Peder Matthias Olsen (1849-1896), his father, in the 1896 Eastern North America heat wave in Chicago. He decorated Japanese lacquer ware
1896 Death of mother from cancer. 1896 Theodore Johan Olsen (1850-1896) killed by a train and Osborne orphaned again.
1900 (circa) Begin work as a china decorator for another studio.
1900 United States census with Osborne working as "decorator" and living with Katherine Marie Jensen (1857-1946). 1905 Marriage to Augusta Schmidt (1883-1974)
1907 Birth of Perry Osborne Olsen (1907-1974).
1909 Birth of Evelyn Olsen (1909-2002). 1910 Start of 1910 United States census with Osborne working as "china decorator" in "shop".
1914 Workshop opened at 2520 North Milwaukee Avenue.
1918 World War I draft registration of September 12th. 1918 Working at 6935 Overbill Avenue. 1920 United States census with Osborne working in Chicago, Illinois.
1930 United States census with Osborne living in Chicago, Illinois.
1940 United States census with Osborne living in Chicago, Illinois. 1971 Death of Osborne Olsen in Chicago.
1973 closed. Hutschenreuther of Selb, Germany
Reinhold Schlegelmilch of Tillowitz, Germany.
By 1911 he was a member of the Art Institute of Chicago.