Tyumen couple creates miniature souvenirs of iconic buildings
Unusual architectural souvenirs appeared in Tyumen about a year ago. These are candles, soap, and various stands that are exact copies of existing city buildings. Surprisingly, the detailing is so precise that one can check by counting every window! They were created by a couple in love after they realized that none of the existing «Tyumen gifts» appealed to them. They became so passionate about the idea that each quit their main job and devoted all their efforts to creating original souvenirs.
Now their figurines can be found in hotels, coffee shops, and Roshchino Airport. But how did they manage this in such a short time? Their story is below.
From a Date Idea to Realization
Valentin and Antonina Orlov recently started a family. When they first met, they went on a date and talked about Tyumen souvenirs. It turned out that the girl had moved to our city from Belgorod and had already tried to buy something special for her relatives who remained there.
«Before moving, I was in Tyumen on a scouting trip, looking for souvenirs for a friend and her husband, but I didn»t buy anything because there were no good ones,« Antonina recalls with embarrassment.
After browsing all souvenir shops, Antonina realized that she didn«t like anything on offer. Everything seemed old-fashioned and didn»t reflect the city«s beauty at all.
So, casually, the couple came up with the idea to create a souvenir snow globe with Tyumen landmarks. Moreover, a stylish and modern one—unlike those Chinese toys sold everywhere. Something you wouldn«t be ashamed to display prominently in your apartment.
Symbolically, the pair decided that the first globe had to feature the Lovers« Bridge. It»s both the city«s calling card and their first joint work.
«Everywhere has its own snow globe: St. Petersburg has one, Moscow has one—but Tyumen doesn»t. That«s really strange. No one here has thought of it yet. I said we need to make it happen. And Tonya immediately said: »That«s what we should do. What»s there to talk about?« So that was it, we started making them slowly,» Valentin says.
Valentin himself is a creative and fairly easy-going person. He has tried all sorts of professions—from taxi driver and electrician to restaurateur and extra in famous TV series. We even once wrote about his project with Tatiana Gavrilova. In 2018, friends opened one of the first Vietnamese cuisine establishments in Tyumen. This happened almost as spontaneously as his subsequent move to Moscow and filming in several series—«Mosgaz,» «IP Pirogova,» «Sled,» and so on.
So it«s no surprise that he agreed to the souvenir venture just as easily and simply.
Antonina had never been involved in souvenir production before this either. She headed the tender department at a company in her hometown. Because of this, even Valentin nicknamed her «my serious person.» But despite such a responsible position, creativity was still part of the girl«s life, just manifested as an ordinary hobby.
But the lack of experience didn«t stop them from taking on creating Tyumen souvenirs. It seems they were even interested in studying the whole process—from idea to implementation.
«First, we drew on a piece of paper what it might look like. The figurine is clear, we model it, then print it for detailing. Then the search began for what to fill it with, what the snow should be like. I spent two months just on the snow, I couldn»t figure out what to make it from. Then we started thinking about the stand and found a technology with pouring from plaster and concrete,« Valentin recounts.
The first experience showed that these snow globes are not as simple as they seem. And no master will ever reveal their secrets. The liquid inside the globe can turn yellow, bubble up, or make the glitter «sink» too quickly. The form itself can leak or even crack under strong pressure. The Orlovs went through all these mistakes. Then, after six months of experiments, they derived the perfect formula for a beautiful and high-quality globe.
Opened a Small Workshop on Lesobaza
And so the first victory—the Tyumen globe was ready. Next, Valentin started thinking about how and where to sell it. First, he went to the pedestrian street where a fair is held year-round.
«I arrived with a huge checkered bag, like a dealer from the »90s. I brought a globe to one shop so their management could look and decide if they were interested. But they told me right away: «Probably, we»ll refuse.« I didn»t even ask for reasons, just took the souvenirs and left. And the next day, I came to Dzerzhinskogo Street again and literally from the neighboring stall-house, they told me: «We»ll take it,«» the Tyumen resident recalls.
Then the globes appeared at the restaurant «Nasledie» (Heritage), which his long-time partner Tatiana Gavrilova opened with her husband. Well, then the souvenir started being displayed in other high-traffic places.
Production grew. At some point, the figurines began to take over the entire apartment of the novice makers, so they decided to rent a small space on Lesobaza for a workshop.
At the same time, the couple came up with new souvenirs. Thus, soap in the shape of the Round Bathhouse appeared.
«I walked or drove past the bathhouse and noticed how this unusual architectural creation stands out. The building is round, like a pill. Architects also call it the »stone ring.« And somehow it clicked in my head: bathhouse—soap. Soap and bathhouse seem to go together. Pretty good, right? You go to the bathhouse and take our soap-bathhouse No. 2,» Valentin says.
He also noted the building«s shape was convenient for soap. Says it»s really handy to use. And to make the souvenir more interesting, he and Antonina came up with adding various colors and scents inspired by famous fragrances.
After the bathhouse, a tower appeared. But not in soap format, but as a candle holder.
«First, we make drawings, then transfer them to the computer and use a specific program to model the building. This can also be done with a special scanner when there»s a photo or video. We select the necessary size and create a master mold. Then from the master mold, we make a silicone one and pour the mixture,« he explains.
But both Antonina and Valentin love architecture and history. So they don«t just make souvenirs in the shape of buildings; they also study their origins. And to make it interesting for the owners of such figurines, they attach small notes telling about the specific landmark place in Tyumen.
«Mostly, all the histories for the architectural souvenirs are gathered through internet searches. Sometimes you have to go almost to the last pages to find and compare facts. For the tower, for example, there was a discrepancy in the construction years. One source said it was 1914, another said 1916,» Antonina says. «This tower is notable because it»s the very first water tower of the Siberian water supply system. We«re very interested in observing where we live and studying the city.»
Anti-stress «Happiness» and the Mystical Watchtower
Not only the business developed, but also the couple«s relationship. They got married and registered the brand »From the Orlovs.«
Antonina launched her own line of souvenirs—they aren«t related to Tyumen, but look quite unusual and stylish. And Valentin continues developing architectural figures. And the family has grand plans.
«We»re currently developing a fire watchtower. It has accumulated various mystical stories and legends. They say you constantly hear something falling there. We want to create a small copy of the watchtower and see what story awaits this souvenir,« Antonina shares.
From modern buildings, the masters were inspired by the sphere of the former restaurant «Happiness.»
«Its shape is funny, but so interesting, as if aliens flew in and brought us happiness. That»s why the souvenir will be called «Happiness,» it will be an anti-stress toy,« the girl added.
They also enjoy recreating recognizable new buildings. For example, a residential building with a winking cat. And a signature concrete fence, which they turned into a candle. You can write on the walls with a special marker.
How the Masters Promoted Themselves
Valentin has worked in PR in the past, so he roughly knows how to best promote a brand. And the results of his work are evident: in one of the city«s popular coffee shops, there»s now a whole counter with souvenirs from the Orlovs.
Their figurines are in restaurants, hotels, and in the «clean zone» of Roshchino Airport. And all this in less than a year of the workshop«s operation.
And even stars coming on tour to Tyumen willingly take gifts from our heroes home with them. For example, their souvenirs went home with the soloist of the group N.Yu., Yevgeny Trofimov, and someone from the group «Komnata Kultury» (Culture Room).
About Competitors...
But the Orlovs earn not only from selling individual souvenirs to tourists. It turns out the biggest checks come from corporate orders. More and more, developers and other large enterprises prefer exclusive gifts for partners and colleagues.
As for competitors, the masters themselves don«t consider them a threat to their business.
«We have no direct competitors in Tyumen. Even guys from St. Petersburg and Moscow came to us and said that some things we make aren»t even available there. We«re very pleased with that. We don»t consider ourselves craftsmen; we«re producers, roughly speaking. Because we have great respect for people who carve from bone. That»s such delicate work. Everyone has their own price category, purpose, and audience. I«m not interested in writing something on birch bark and selling it or making flasks with »Tyumen« written on them. Plenty of people do that without us,» Valentin reflects.
The only difficulty the Orlovs faced is components for snow globes. It turns out these globes themselves are only manufactured in China. Their delivery was delayed at the border this time, so the masters won«t be able to make their souvenirs for the New Year.
In Russia, there are also glassblowers who do similar things. But their components are an unaffordable luxury. Such snow globes would cost from 9,000 rubles (about $100 at current rates), which in current realities is too expensive for ordinary people.
What Else to Read
There are many different masters and craftswomen in Tyumen who create real beauty. We often tell their stories. Read, for example, how a family creates extraordinary Christmas tree ornaments.
We«ve also told you about other unusual hobbies of Tyumen residents. For example:
Knits ballet flats and sews valenki: how a Tyumen woman created a «barefoot» shoe brand loved worldwide.
Flirtatious girls and mischievous boys: the story of a Tyumen woman creating dolls using an old technique.
Not for bad. How two lawyer friends from Tyumen created their brand of candles with scents of happiness.
