Bolin K.E.

The name of the company "Bolin K.E." in the mass consciousness is in the shadow of its long-term "young" competitor K. Faberge.

Although Bolin's name is as well known and significant to specialists as Faberge's name. There are several reasons for this. The fact is that Faberge once made several brilliant managerial moves that immortalized his name, pushing such a brand as Bolin K.E. to the periphery of public consciousness. But more on that below ...

The history of the Bolin K.E. company[54] began at the very end of the XVIII century. The beginning was very thorough, because the founder dela – a native of Saxony Andrew Grigorievich Rempler, who came to Petersburg in the last years of his life Catherine II (1790), already during the reigns of Emperors Paul I and Alexander I had the prestigious title of court jeweler and appraiser of His Imperial Cabinet Majesties (since 1823)[55]. Like many foreigners, he took root in Russia and in In 1809, he accepted Russian citizenship with his whole family . It was an anxious time of the Napoleonic Wars, and A.G. Rempler hastened to demonstrate loyalty to the new homeland.

As it has often been practiced since In the Middle Ages, the jewelry "business" was a family business, and after the death of A. Rempler in In 1829, the business passed into the hands of Gottlieb's widow and son– in-law, jeweler Ernst Jan, who was married to Rempler's eldest daughter Sofia, and during his father-in-law's lifetime he became his partner. At the time of the transfer of the case into the hands of G.E. Yan , he already served as an appraiser and was a supplier of jewelry to To the Imperial Court.

Gottlieb Ernst Jan entered the history of jewelry mainly by the fact that in 1831, by order of Nicholas I, he executed a diamond necklace with opals, which cost the emperor 169 601 rubles. The necklace was intended for a gift to Empress Alexandra Feodorovna from the Emperor on the occasion of the birth of her son , Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich (senior). The indicated value of the jewelry remained a record until 1894.

Researchers often point to a piece of jewelry that has become a new record holder in price: a pearl necklace purchased in 1894 from K. Faberge for 177,600 rubles.[56] Alexander III for Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich, which he gave to his fiancee Alice of Hesse [57]. Looking ahead, we note that this is not the case. In fact, then the most expensive thing was a sapphire parure worth in 212 244 rubles, made by Friedrich Kehli. The second place in value was then taken by a ruby parure (190,295 rubles), made by the son of Karl Bolin – Edward.

A.G. Rempler's second son-in-law, jeweler Karl Eduard Bolin (1805-1864), who arrived in St. Petersburg in 1831, began his career as an accountant at Jan in 1833. In 1834, following the beaten path, he married Ernestine Katarina Rempler, as a result of which he turned into a co-owner of the company, which became known as "Jan and Bolin".

After the death of G.E. Yan in 1836 , three relatives continued to successfully conduct the business of the company: Karl Eduard Bolin, his mother-in-law Anna Rempler and the widow of the jeweler Yana Sofia (the eldest daughter A.G. Rempler).

The success of the affairs of the family jewelry company is evidenced by the decree of Nicholas I, which took place in 1839 on the gift to Charles Eduard Bolin and Sofia Rempler were awarded the title of "court jewelers". The algorithm for obtaining such a prestigious title was simple and win-win. The fact is that the jewelers applied for the title directly to the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, who is well the products of the company "Yang and Bolin." In a memo written at the behest of the Empress by her secretary (April 25, 1839) addressed to the Minister Of the Imperial Court of Prince P.M. Volkonsky, it was stated: "The late appraiser of the Imperial Cabinet Andrei Rempler, who owned the best diamond shop in the local capital … The successors of the late Rempler, his daughter Sofia Yan and son-in-law Eduard Bolin, the real owners of the same store, were equally honored to produce diamond items for Their Imperial Majesties and Their Imperial Highnesses ... to ask ... to add to the firm of their store the title of Court Jewelers"[58].

Note that initially it was only about the daughter of the jeweler Rempler – Sofia Yan and his son-in-law Karl Eduard Bolin. In the official documents accompanying the correspondence, it was emphasized that "the works of Rempler Yang jewelers were always made to the pleasure of Her Imperial Majesties and it would be very pleasant for her To Your Majesty, if it were possible to grant their request."

Naturally, the request of the Empress was supported by the leadership of the Cabinet. But in a note dated April 28, 1839, to the names Sofia Yan and Karl Eduard Bolin were joined by two more jewelers: "The father and husband of the petitioner, as well as herself and her son-in-law Bolin really did various diamond things for Her Majesty and for the Cabinet for more than twenty years... to draw Your Lordship's attention to the appraisers of the Cabinet of Jewelers Yannash and Camerera, who are in the Office on duty, in regular places, the first since 1802, and the last since 1835, have also done and are doing the diamond things ordered by the Cabinet ... with no less skill and care and, therefore, have more rights to the title of Court jewelers"[59].

Prince P.M. Volkonsky did not object and came out with the relevant documents to a report to Nicholas I, who on April 29 , 1839 granted four masters the title of "court jewelers".

About the professional level of Karl Eduard Bolin is indirectly evidenced by the marks in the "Book of crown Diamonds, Diamond things and Pearls". When Nicholas I at the end of 1841 began to prepare for a silver wedding (July 1, 1842), he decided to give his wife, who loved jewelry trinkets, an expensive decoration – a diamond tiara with pearls. The material for the work, as has happened more than once, was supposed to be taken from the Diamond Room of the Winter Palace. This responsible work the emperor entrusted it to Charles Edward Bolin, who has long specialized in the manufacture of expensive diamond jewelry.

Karl Eduard Bolin. Self-portrait. 1830s.

In the "Book of crown diamonds, diamond things and pearls" it is indicated that 3 diamonds weighing were taken out of the sclavage "on December 5, 1841 4 ^{carats for a tiara with pearls and released to a jeweler Bolin. There are 12 diamonds left in the sclavage." In addition, for the sake of the imperial gift, they broke the "product" No. 289 "A diamond bow in the middle of which is a large flat pearl with three large , non-rolling pearl pandelocs and two small, and one diamond pandeloc, weighing about 22 grains".}

Let us repeat once again that diamonds and pearls Karl Bolin was issued on December 5, 1841, and already on January 2, 1842 in the list of things The Diamond Room was entered for No. 629 "A tiara made up of crown diamonds and pearls"[60]. Legendary the diamond tiara, made in 1842, included[61] (Table 6):

Table 6

Similar responsible assignments happened later. So, on December 5, 1852, "in the presence of a member The cabinet of the real privy councilor Petukhov and the chamber-Frau Ellis was taken out by the court jeweler Bolin from the hedge, listed under No. 84 of the seventh diamonds ... used on 2 parts of the necklace in the form of pendants"[62]. By this time (from 1851 to 1864), Karl Eduard Bolin was an appraiser of the E.I.V. Cabinet and was awarded gold medals on the Anninskaya and Vladimir ribbons.

Over time, Bolin and Yan became well-known not only in Russia, but also in Europe. This happened after the success on The World's Fair of 1851 in London, when the English press, covering the work of the exhibition, highly appreciated the jewelry made by the company of Karl Eduard Bolina. At the same time, Nicholas I then bought a large jewelry with huge sapphires and diamonds for his wife.

Then many considered it "impossible for our The fatherland should excel or even compete with other states, especially France, the legislator of fashion and taste."

Nevertheless, the works of Bolin and Yang were awarded the highest praise, as they "decisively surpassed everything in the perfection of the frames " that was presented in London. The central place in the showcase of the company Bolin was occupied by an ornament with a unique ruby of 44 carats and a steel pearl of 19 carats, studded with a huge number of diamonds and diamond roses. We emphasize that in the last decade of the board Nicholas I and throughout his reign Alexander II firm "Bolin K.E." was a leading supplier of diamond products to the Imperial Court.

Glass with laurel leaves. Silver, stamping, gilding, enamel. The firm "K.E. Bolin". Workshop of K. Linke. Moscow. 1900s.

In 1864, at the age of 59, Karl Eduard Bolin died. The management of the family firm passed to his sons – Edward and Gustav, who from the same time became appraisers of the Cabinet and court jewelers. The documents state: "Bolins, brothers Eduard and Gustav, hereditary honorary citizens, jewelers. On granting them the right to be called court E.I.V. jewelers , the highest permission followed in 1864."A leading role in the family firm played by Eduard Bolin (1842-1926), it was he who created in 1871 the Trading house "Bolin K.E."[63], which remained until 1917. among the suppliers of the Highest Court.

Edward

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