Emerald Drama
Yakov Kokovin was highly respected, as he achieved everything in his life on his own, although he was of serf origin.
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Thanks to his erudition and talents, Kkokovin managed to get an education at the Academy of Arts of St. Petersburg. There he learned the art of sculpture.
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Soon after completing his studies, the man received a high rank. He became the commander of the Ural Imperial Lapidary Factory. Thus, Yakov was able to achieve the title of nobleman.
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But neither good fame, nor character, nor the status of a master could protect him from malicious profit hunters.
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Kokovin adored emeralds. Many of the rarest stones had accumulated in his office during his time at the factory.
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In the summer of 1835, an inspection came to Yekaterinburg. After it, the emeralds from Kokovin's office were inventoried and sent to the emperor in wooden boxes.
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Keeping such an expensive collection was not a crime. But the inspector Perovsky set up Yakov, appropriating one of the stones for himself, and indicating in the report that he had not found it.
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So Kokorin was arrested for concealment. And although the stone was not found either at home or in Kokorin's office, thereby not proving the master's guilt, the court could not acquit him.
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Kokovin was released early after several years in prison. Unfortunately, he was released in poor health and died very quickly.
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Perovsky was never punished. He continued to enrich himself by mining emeralds and was remembered by everyone as a greedy and avaricious man.
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When Perovsky died, his collection of emeralds was sold. But the largest of the stones was named in honor of Yakov Kokovin.