The history of the Harmony Kingdom brand begins in North Wales, where one of the company’s founders, Martin Perry, lived. He was a shepherd, but after an injury he was forced to look for another job. Martin got a job in a small company that created miniature copies of sculptures for museums. There he began to create netsuke figurines (Japanese miniatures) and improve his skills.
At some point, the master developed his own technology for working with marble chips and opened his own business. His wife became his main assistant, helping with hand-painting the works. Together they began to create unique boxes that, in addition to aesthetics, had a special meaning, a good joke and, of course, cats.
At one of the masters’ exhibitions, Martin met an enterprising couple – Noel Wiggins and Lisa Yashon. The couple successfully sold silver jingling balls – as jewelry, keychains, children’s rattles. Only exclusive packaging was missing. This is where Martin Perry’s boxes came in handy, just waiting to be seen by a wider audience.
When the audience saw the boxes, they demanded: “We don’t need your silver balls! Sell these beautiful boxes on their own.” Noel and Lisa were not offended, on the contrary, they suggested that Martin create a joint business called “Harmony Kingdom” and take its promotion seriously.
Since its inception in 1995, Harmony Kingdom has grown into a multi-million dollar business. The marble chip sculptures created by Martin and then his successors have become the subject of admiration and passion for collectors from all over the world.
Harmony Kingdom is now a family-run figurine company with its headquarters in the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire – one of the most beautiful rural areas of England. It is headed by Peter Culversbeth with his wife Andrea and their two children.
