The collection of the Kótlas Museum of Local Lore contains a confectionery box in the form of a chest. On the box is the trademark ‘Steam Confectionery Factory of the Trading House of the Heiress Yanúla Panaiot Yani and Family in Moscow’. The box was given to the collection by a local resident. In such metal boxes, decorated with chromolithography, sweets were packaged for sale.
Chromolithography is a color lithography in which a separate printing plate was used to apply each color. This technique was widely used in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Ivan Yani’s factory operated from 1880 to 1917. It was founded by Yani Panayot, a native of the city of Rodósto, now Tekirdág in Turkey. A Greek by nationality, he quickly became Russified, calling himself Ivan Pávlovich and successfully launching the production of oriental sweets in Moscow. Yani’s confectioneries sold Turkish delights, marshmallow and marmalade. But it was his coffee shop in Sokólniki that was especially popular, where visitors were offered coffee with cinnamon and cardamom, baked pears with a slice of cheese and walnut pulp, honey and apple milkshakes, berry marshmallows and sherbet. On holidays, an orchestra played, and children rode on a horse-drawn cart.
After the death of Ivan Pávlovich in 1895, the business passed first to his wife Yanúla, and then to his eldest son Euripides. Soon, sweets began to be produced under the brand name ‘Steam Factory of the Trading House of the Heiress Yanúla Panaiot Yani and Sons in Moscow.’ New coffee shops and pastry shops were opened. A contemporary wrote: ‘For the fifth year now, in Moscow, the cafe “Yani” (Tverskáya, 68) serves as the only meeting place for artists of variety shows and circuses. Here you can find out all the news, and meet a friend, agent, or director. There is a special mail service “on demand”. There is also a large number of magazines, Russian and foreign.’
The selection of confectionery products also increased — glazed chestnuts and various types of caramel started to be sold. At this time, the factory became a leader in the production of marmalade. Numerous medals were affixed on the candy wrappers and candy boxes, including those confirming that the family was the official supplier of the courts of His Majesty the King of Greece and the King of Serbia.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, business developed by leaps and bounds, the wealth of the Yani family grew. But after the revolution, the production of confectionery products stopped, and the factory was closed. Some family members fled the country, while others stayed and were persecuted. Today, only the candy boxes remain as the remnants of former splendor.
After the death of Ivan Pávlovich in 1895, the business passed first to his wife Yanúla, and then to his eldest son Euripides. Soon, sweets began to be produced under the brand name ‘Steam Factory of the Trading House of the Heiress Yanúla Panaiot Yani and Sons in Moscow.’ New coffee shops and pastry shops were opened. A contemporary wrote: ‘For the fifth year now, in Moscow, the cafe “Yani” (Tverskáya, 68) serves as the only meeting place for artists of variety shows and circuses. Here you can find out all the news, and meet a friend, agent, or director. There is a special mail service “on demand”. There is also a large number of magazines, Russian and foreign.’
The selection of confectionery products also increased — glazed chestnuts and various types of caramel started to be sold. At this time, the factory became a leader in the production of marmalade. Numerous medals were affixed on the candy wrappers and candy boxes, including those confirming that the family was the official supplier of the courts of His Majesty the King of Greece and the King of Serbia.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, business developed by leaps and bounds, the wealth of the Yani family grew. But after the revolution, the production of confectionery products stopped, and the factory was closed. Some family members fled the country, while others stayed and were persecuted. Today, only the candy boxes remain as the remnants of former splendor.
