Legendary Faberge jeweler Mikhail Perkhin
Mikhail Evlampievich Perkhin is a jeweler who went down in Russian history as one of the most famous masters of the Faberge firm. He was born in the territory of the modern Republic of Karelia into a peasant family in 1860. At the age of 17, Mikhail went to study in St. Petersburg to the jeweler Vladimir Finikov. Then he signed up as an apprentice in the craft council and soon, thanks to his perseverance, talent and hard work, became a master of gold.
For 18 years, Mikhail Evlampievich was the chief craftsman in the Faberge jewelry house, and then, with the support of Carl Faberge, he opened his own workshop. It produced expensive gifts and jewelry, carried out engraving and chasing work, created frames for jade and other stones from Siberia. The production was large-scale, and many of Faberge’s works were made in the Perkhin workshop. The jeweler paid sufficient attention to solving technical problems, had an enormous working capacity and enjoyed great prestige among his apprentices.
Perkhin himself was the best worker in his workshop, he not only supervised, but also personally worked at the workbench and loved his craft. But hard work negatively affected the health of the master. Mikhail Evlampievich died in a hospital for the mentally ill in 1903. In Perkhin’s workshop, 28 Easter eggs were created for the imperial house. The jeweler’s products can be seen in the St. Petersburg Faberge Museum and in the Hermitage.
In honor of the legendary jeweler in 2009, the Carl Fabergé Memorial Fund established a badge of honor “150 years to Mikhail Perkhin”. Now they are awarded to the best contemporary jewelers.