HISTORY OF THE “EMELYANOV” ENTERPRISE
From a simple woodworking production to a leading company producing limited furniture collections and implementing exclusive interior design projects
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The history of the manufacture began with the opening of a regular woodworking production in the village of Kovrovo in 1992. The enterprise could have remained a trivial furniture company, annually producing standard products, if its owner, Alexander Emelyanov, had not become fascinated with the idea of combining valuable types of wood and amber in one product.
Alexander Valentinovich Emelyanov
- the founder of the company, the author of the “Kovrov Mosaic” technology.
Kaliningrad region… Sea, pines, sand, and amber. The uniqueness of this place predetermined its destiny and the destinies of the people living here – gatherers, keepers, masters of the amber craft. It is quite logical that near the largest amber deposit on Earth, industrial enterprises for the extraction and processing of this amazing material began to appear.
MORE THAN 12 YEARS OF RESEARCH AND SEARCH
“Emelyanov and Sons” is a family enterprise that has united the best designers, cabinetmakers, and amber processing specialists under its roof. It is thanks to their work over several years that the company’s products truly become unique.
Long-term attempts to find a way to durably combine wood and amber (which have different linear expansions when exposed to the environment, and therefore are poorly combined in one product) were successful. The technology of inlaying wood with amber, known by the manufacture today, was patented as ‘Kovrov Mosaic’. It consists of 28 techniques and has no world analogues.
A STEP TOWARDS UNIQUENESS
The opening of their own design studio allowed the Emelyanovs to move away from the standard search for solutions. They invited Igor Isaev, an artist from Kaliningrad, to the position of the main designer. New technologies and the new form-creating possibilities associated with them inspired him to create objects with their own artistic language.
The designer saw the enhancement of the object’s artistic imagery as a promising direction in the field of furniture design.
Imagery involves seeking a different status for the item, developing its aesthetic qualities, meaning, and form.
The furniture item becomes more complex in its conception. Such furniture can complement the modern interior not only with its utilitarian purpose but also with a higher artistic sense.
BEGINNING OF COOPERATION WITH THE KALININGRAD AMBER MUSEUM
In 2011, museum staff and the management of the factory presented the ‘Louvre’ chess set at the International Heritage Show in the Louvre (Paris, France).
The Heritage Show
is one of the most significant events in France in the field of culture and art, the aim of which is to demonstrate technologies, knowledge, materials that represent the heritage of humanity. The unique artistic language of the ‘Louvre’ set was highly appreciated both by professional art historians and visitors to the exhibition.
In 2014, the creators of the ‘Louvre’ set were awarded a Russian Federation prize in the field of culture.
The art design of Igor Isaev in the field of conceptual furniture and interior design has created the prospect of developing new styles in the field of furniture production, where the main idea is moving away from mass production to art and truly artistic form.
CONTINUITY OF GENERATIONS
CONTINUITY OF GENERATIONS
Today, as decades ago, the “Emelyanov” Manufacture is about furniture and works of art, of which there are no equivalents in the world. Ilya Alexandrovich Emelyanov continues his father’s work, actively participating not only in management processes, but also in many other issues. Starting his work at production and independently working his way up to the head of the company, he maintains the principles, technologies, and traditions of the manufacture. Meanwhile, the process of improving approaches at work continues daily. All this ensures the impeccable quality of each product.
Ilya Emelyanov
- the current owner of the manufacture.
The “Emelyanov” Manufacture celebrates its 30th anniversary
The entire path of the enterprise since 1992 and the produced goods, highly appreciated in the world, serve as a demonstration that in Russia it is possible and necessary to develop production. Especially if they are unique and high-tech.
Prospect for further development
Ilya Emelyanov sees the future not only in strengthening the positions of his own enterprise in the Russian and global amber products markets. After all, the competitiveness of an individual enterprise depends on the global competitiveness of the Russian amber industry as a whole.
The way out of the current situation is to unite the amber productions of the Kaliningrad region into a single cluster, the activities of which will be aimed at improving the quality and level of production technologies, popularizing amber as Russia’s wealth, and also reviving the Russian school of amber art
