Svetlana Kulikovskykh

    The city of Zlatoust named so after Ioann Zlatoust, an Orthodox enlightener and theologian, is known in the Russian history as a city of armorers. In 1754 a plant was founded there to provide the army and the fleet with combatant cold steel. Zlatoust’s blades were famous for unusual strength of steel and thorough finish. The plant’s highly skilled foundry men, polishers, engravers laid the foundation of the art metal processing school. Buyers of blades decorated with gold and precious stones were members of the czar’s family, aristocrats, guards officers. Collections of Zlatoust’s arms are on display in major museums of Russia and some European countries.

Admiral’s collection hanger

Dynasty casket

Artists of today’s generation are maintaining traditions of metal engraving. LiK’s arts and crafts workshops were set up in 1990 by Alexander and Nina Lokhtachev together with Grigory Manush. Thanks to their enthusiasm the ancient handicraft was revived and it moved in a new direction. Modern items stand out for the finest technique of embossed etching and gilding. Craftsmen decorate cold steel not only with stylized ornaments but with miniatures as well. One can feel the yearning for strictness, simplicity and clearness of compositions, which works of Zlatoust’s old craftsmen were famous for.
Zlatoust’s metal engraving requires a scrupulous observance of the technique: drawing a picture by paintbrush, engraving by steel needle, etching, engraving by cutting tool, nickel plating, gilding. Like in the past, blades are made of high-quality steel. A sheath decor is done in the same style as a blade. Use of gold, silver, precious stones make blades works of jeweler’s art. Every such blade by LiK’s workshops has an individual trademark of a producing enterprise and test chamber.

Hunting knife

LiK’s artists became the first to produce church utensils in the traditions of the Zlatoust engraving technique. Their craftsmanship reached its peak when they produced a tabernacle for the main altar at the Upper church of the Christ the Savior temple.
Tableware and items of the interior represent a special direction in this area of arts and crafts. A fireplace done in the classical style is a product of several Ural trades: stone artistic processing, iron and bronze casting, metal engraving, gobelin.
LiK’s workshops are laboring in several directions:
– signature collection cold steel designed in the Zlatoust traditions of metal engraving;
– refined tableware and table utensils made in the same traditions;
– jewelry made of noble metals and Ural precious stones’ cutting;
– church utensils;
– fireplaces decorated with Ural stones;
– gobelins;
– manuscript illustrated books.
Since 1998 LiK has been among patrons of the foundation of the Russian Jewelers’ Guild and Chamber of Highly Artistic Trades. Works of Zlatoust’s artists have been displayed at numerous domestic and foreign exhibitions, fairs and forums.

LIK’S WORKSHOPS OF DECORATIVE APPLIED ARTS Russia, Chelyabinsk region, Zlatoust Phone: +7 (351-36) 378-22 Fax: +7 (351-36) 324-55 E-mail: lik@chel.surnet.ru www.lik.ru

Hilt of officer’s sword

Tabernacle