▁grand ▁father ▁was ▁royal ▁furn iture ▁mak er ▁Johann ▁von ▁Hol ten ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁after ▁his ▁mat ernal ▁uncle ▁Nicol ai ▁Abraham ▁Ab ild ga ard . ▁ ▁He ▁attended ▁Efter sl æ g ts elsk ab ets ▁Sk ole ▁from ▁October ▁ 1 7 8 8 ▁to ▁September ▁ 1 7 9 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁later ▁educated ▁in ▁N iels ▁Ry berg ' s ▁trad ing ▁house . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁After ▁comple ting ▁his ▁education ▁Hol ten ▁established ▁his ▁own ▁business ▁as ▁a ▁bank ier ▁and ▁bro ker . ▁He ▁collabor ated ▁with ▁the ▁government ▁and ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 6 ▁appointed ▁to ▁special ist ▁director ▁of ▁national ▁deb t ▁( stats g æ ld sd ire kt ør ). ▁He ▁head ed ▁to ▁office ▁for ▁foreign ▁pay ments ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 7 – 3 9 ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁a ▁commission ▁that ▁made ▁a ▁proposal ▁for ▁the ▁important ▁Neg oti able ▁Inst rument ▁Act ▁( ve ks ello v ) ▁of ▁ 1 8 2 5 . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁personal ▁ad visor ▁on ▁financial ▁matters ▁by ▁Frederick ▁VII . ▁▁ ▁Hol ten ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁director ▁of ▁ Ø res und ▁Custom s ▁House ▁in ▁Hels ing ør ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 0 ▁but ▁continued ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁gover ning ▁board ▁of ▁the ▁national ▁deb t ▁department ▁until ▁ 1 8 4 8 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁et ats rå d ▁in ▁