This paper reports on the affect of lead content on the absorption and emission spectra of the Ho3+ ion doped lead-zinc-borate glasses in the composition (mol%) of (20-x)PbO-20ZnO-(59+x)B2O3-1.0Ho(2)O(3) where x = 0, 5, 10, 15 of PbO content with lambda(exc) = 405 nm. The experimental absorption band energies have satisfactorily been correlated with the theoretical results with an r.m.s deviation of zero with the following correction factors obtained by a least square fit analysis: Delta E-1 = 348.495936 cm(-1), Delta E-2 = 1.436043 cm(-1), Delta E-3 = 46.481575 cm(-1), Delta xi(4f) = -28.512979 cm(-1), Delta alpha = 55.508936 cm(-1), Delta beta = -1394.339908 cm(-1) and Delta gamma = 1208.424336 cm(-1). By applying the Judd-Ofelt intensity parameter Omega(2) has been found to be linearly decreasing with the PbO content from 5 to 10 mol% and then increasing. And also radiative (A, A(T), beta, tau(r)) characteristic factors of the luminescent transitions (I-5(g) <-F-5(3,4,5) and S-5(2)) of the glasses have been evaluated. Stimulated emission cross-sections (sigma(E)(p)) of the measured emission transitions of holmium glasses have also been computed. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.