C.E. Bolin garnet and diamond brooch, Russian Empire, 1899-1903.

This brooch is in good condition commensurate with its age.

Bolin was established in 1791 in St. Petersburg by Andreas Römpler, and has been family-owned ever since. The firm became known as 'Bolin' after Römpler's daughter married Carl Edvard Bolin, who took over the business in 1835 and by 1939 had been names as 'Jeweller to the Imperial Court'. They would remain court jewellers to five Russian tsars, alongside Fabergé, with whom they at one time planned a merger.

Wilhelm James Andreevich Bolin, the nephew of C.E. Bolin oversaw the Moscow branch, and by 1912, he had sole control, renaming it 'W.A. Bolin'. This same year, he became the official supplier to the Russian court. The Russian Revolution of 1917 meant forced the company to close, with much of the stock being confiscated. Fortunately, Wilhelm smuggled some stock out of the country, and re-established the company in Sweden, where W.A Bolin has now served three Swedish royal courts. They remain one of the most important jewellers in the country today.

This particular brooch is a turn of the century piece, featuring the assay master's initials for Yakov Lyapunov who held the position between 1899 and 1903. During this time, the company were producing many pieces in the Art Nouveau style, and it is likely that this brooch was made in the Linke workshop, an important manufacturer of many Bolin pieces.