Fresco painter, studio potter and pottery manufacturer Wilhelm Kagel was born in Gnoien, Mecklenburg on the 21st October 1867. He initially worked as a journeyman painter, but from 1887 studied fresco and decorative painting at the School of Applied Crafts (Kunstgewerbeschule) in Munich, under Emanuel von Seidel. He settled in Partenkirchen in 1891, establishing a decoration business (Partenkirchen was not officially joined with Garmisch until 1936). When orders for fresco painting slowed, he turned his attention to pottery, installing his own kiln in 1904 and in 1906 established his Art Craft Studios (Kunsthandwerkliche Werkstätten), where he made hand thrown "Folk Art" decorated tableware. The workshop employed 20 employees by 1910. During 1931 -1932, Hedwig Bollhagen worked here, prior to starting her own pottery.  Wilhelm Kagel died on the 14th March 1935 and was succeeded by his sons Willy Kagel Jnr. (b.1st January 1906 - d.31st August 1987), who had studied at  the  Keramische Fachschule in Höhr, from 1924 - 26 and Eugen Kagel (b.1909 - d.1992), who administrated the company. After Willy Kagel Jnr's death the studio closed.