The tale of the poor, humble fisherman and his greedy wife unfolds on the lid of this large box by Mikhail Nebogatov. Our tale begins with the fisherman catching a strange golden fish who begs for his life. The fisherman quickly agrees, and returns home happy in the knowledge that there are still such wonders in the world. When he tells his tale to his wife, she berates him for not knowing to ask for a wish in return for the fish's life, and insists he return to ask for a nice cozy cottage. The fish agrees, but it soon becomes apparent the the wife will never be satisfied. Each time the fisherman returns, his wife sends him back to the fish to ask for even better. The scene shows her rise from their original home in a ditch to mistress of a cheerful cottage, to land owning boyar, to empress. Finally, she asks for too much, and the fish sends her back to live in the ditch. The circular shape of the box perfectly echoes the rise and fall of the greedy wife while the enchanted fish watches from the center. The rich colors and metallic accents contrast beautifully with the black lacquer background. A wealth of tiny details draw the eye. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the artist's name and village. There is no hinge, and the interior is red lacquer. Another masterpiece by Palekh artist Mikhail Nebogatov.

Lacquerbox Condition Ratings

Surface Condition (exterior)	Surface Condition (interior/bottom)	Box Materials and Soundness	Hinge and Lid Placement	Signature	Total Rating	Mother-of-pearl Condition
9.5	9.5	10.0	10.0	10.0	49	N/A

(Each category rated 1-10. For low scores, look for explanation in the description of box. In general, any total rating over 40 is excellent. For more information on rating system, click here.)