The Bolin House
WA Bolin or The Bolin House is one of the oldest jewelry and silverware companies that is still in the hands of the founding family. The company exists today as a jeweler and silversmith for the Swedish king. Originally founded sometime around 1796 by Andreas Roempler in St. Petersburg Russia possibly around 1790 even. These early years he became known as the Master of diamonds and took a In the registers of the German colony of this city he is called Master of Diamonds. He became a manufacturing in 1796 and began producing pieces for the Russian imperial court as well acting as the official appraiser of the court. This appointment made him one of the most important jewelers in St Petersburg where he produced more for the court than any other jeweler including Faberge. By the 1890's other Parisian houses began to bring competition to Russia including Boucheron who was granted a royal commission as well. Faberge eventually overtook Bolin however Bolin controlled the market for many years. Carl Edvard Bolin 1805-1864 was the originator of what many refer to as the Bolin period. By the 1830's his eldest daughter, Sofia had married Gottlieb Ernst Jahn who also worked as a goldsmith and built pieces for the Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia. By 1833 Carl moved to St Petersburg and began working with his son in law and his partner and within a year he married one of his partners daughters. The firm was renamed Jahn & Bolin until his Brother-in-law Jahn died in 1836, leaving Bolin as partner to Jahn's widow. In 1839 the partners submitted a request to become Jewelers to the Imperial Court, which was granted and production increased dramatically. By 1836 Henrik Conrad, Carl's younger brother joined his brother at 16 and worked with his brother before opening his own retail establishment with an English partner. There they sold jewelry, silver, and luxury lady accessories. under than name Shanks & Bolin yet they became known for their silverware. In 1864 Carl Edvard Bolin died in St. Petersburg, leaving his part of the firm in the hands of his sons Gustaf and Edward. His brother Henrik passed in 1888 in Moscow and left everything to his three daughters (leaving nothing to his sons which their training was their legacy. His eldest son Wilhelm James Andreevitch Bolin opened a store called C. E. Bolin in Moscow. In 1912 he took over the Moscow shop in his own name W.A. Bolin and continued in the Art Nouveau style. Vasily Bolin, like his father, kept his Swedish citizenship in 1912 he opened a branch store near a spa visited by the Tsar and his family but remained stuck when World War I broke out. The records of the sale of pieces to Russian and other Royalty were not found with the exception of some that were confiscated and the owners of such jewelry were tracked down and the pieces stolen tto fund the war. The Bolin House is still in business as jewelers and silversmiths to HM King Carl XVI Gustav.
