On July 22, 1851, a joyful event occurred in the family of a mining engineer in Voznesensk, Orenburg province: a long-awaited son was born. However, the boy, named Nikolai Kobelkov, was born without limbs due to a rare disease, tetraamelia syndrome.

Despite this, Nikolai grew up like an ordinary child and showed outstanding abilities in his studies. By the age of four, he learned to write by turning pages with his nose. During his school years, it was not easy for him to write, but he found a way: he held the writing instrument between his chin and right stump, although this often resulted in him being covered in ink. At home, he was affectionately called Inkblot.

After graduating from gymnasium, his father arranged for him to work as an accountant at a factory. It was said that he was good at counting. One day, while resting in a café, Nikolai was noticed by the entrepreneur Berg, who offered him to perform in his tent show, which combined theatrical and circus acts. Nikolai quickly gained popularity in the capital, showcasing his skills on stage: he danced, painted, jumped from chair to chair, moved quickly across the stage with an assistant on his shoulders, threaded a needle, shot from a rifle and pistol, and at the end of the performance, poured and drank champagne to the health of the audience.

Soon, tours began, and among Nikolai's fans was King Albert of Saxony. In 1900, Kobelkov began acting in films. Shortly before this, he met his one true love, Anna Wilfert. At their wedding, Nikolai brought the wedding ring in a pouch around his neck and offered it to her finger with his teeth. After the wedding, the couple began touring with their performances. They had 12 children, of whom six survived: Alexander, Otto, Nikolai, Paul, Ernst, and Elena.

Later, Kobelkov moved to Vienna and founded his own circus. He passed away in 1933 at the age of 82, leaving a great legacy to his children.