COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF “PARTNERSHIP OF M.P.RYABUSHINSKY AND SONS IN ZAVOROVO”

Ivan Petrovich Khlebnikov (1819–1881) was a Moscow merchant of the 1st Guild, a founder of the company and factory for the production of diamond, gold and silver products in Moscow, in the Yaouza part in the house of Naryshkin (later became his property), in 1871, since 1879 became a St.Petersburg merchant. (There is certain evidence that the Company was based on the jewelry business of his father P.Khlebnikov, who was a merchant and was engaged in trade in jewelry, his business was continued I.P.Khlebnikov since 1830s).
The company's shops were located on the Kuznetsky Most (bridge) Street in the house of Mr.Solodovnikov, on Elijah’s Street in the Novgorod Metochion and in the Silver Row. In St.Petersburg in 1877 his store was located on the Nevsky Prospekt near the Kazan bridge. Khlebnikov's shop was also on the main lane of the Nizhny Novgorod Fair.
According to archive documents the firm delivered and sold numerous products to the Highest Russian Imperial Court and Courts Grand Dukes, since 1869.
Since 1872 I.P.Khlebnikov became an Official Supplier of the Court of the Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich.
Since 1873 the Company has constantly received orders from the Imperial Court and “for the wardrobe of Her Majesty in the amount of 1000 rubles” implementing their products “quite well and conscientiously.”
In 1875 Ivan Khlebnikov filed a petition for granting him the title of Supplier of the Highest Court and attached a list of works made by him at the orders of Empress Maria Alexandrovna, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich, Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Emperor of Austria and Crown Prince of England. The request was turned down because the title of the court supplier could granted only to those “who supplied their products for 8 years”, but granting of the title of supplier of Grand Duke’s Courts did not depend on a certain period of supplying. Since 1877 Khlebnikov became a supplier of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich with the right to put on his signboards monogram of His Highness. On May 12, 1879 Khlebnikov was granted the right to “be called a Supplier of gold and silver products to the Highest Court and to put the image of the state emblem on his signboards”. In 1880, the factory was significantly enlarged and became multipurpose production with a high level of mechanization, working in all types of jewelry. After the death of I.P.Khlebnikov his business was successfully continued by his sons Alexey, Mikhail and Nikolay.
In 1887 the firm was transformed into joint-Stock company “Partnership for production of silver, gold and jewelry of I.P.Khlebnikov and Sons and Co”.
The Khlebnikov’s Company was one of the best Russian companies, a permanent participant of all-Russian and world exhibitions of art and industrial goods, its products have always been rewarded by experts with numerous awards, including gold medals.
I.Khlebnikov was one of the main founders of the Moscow school of gold- and silversmiths, the leader in revival and creation of the national Russian style.
The company was patronized by Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna senior-President of the Academy of Arts.