Important Silversmiths – Henrik Wigstrom
Henrik Wigstrom (in Russian: Хенрик Вигстром) is one of the most relevant workmasters of the House of Fabergé, along with his predecessor Michael Perkhin.
Wigstrom was born in Finland and started his career working as an apprentice to the local jeweller and goldsmith Peter Madsen. Thanks to Madsen’s business contacts in Russia, Wigstrom managed to move to St. Petersburg where he started working for the House of Fabergé in 1886 as an assistant to Michael Perkhin, head workmaster until 1903. After his master’s death Wigstrom was appointed his successor.
He was responsible for some of the firm’s finest treasures in Louis XVI and neoclassical style. Wigstrom was very prolific: half of the Imperial Fabergé eggs, the majority of miniature animals and flowers, boxes and cigarette cases produced by the firm between 1904 and 1917 carry his mark.
In 1918 the outbreak of the Russian Revolution forced the closure of the House of Fabergé and Henrik Wigstrom fled back to Finland where he died in 1923.
