The Northern lights shimmer behind the enchanted sleigh of the Snow Queen in the large box by Palekh artist Mikhail Nebogatov. She soars through the night sky with a calm expression, while little Kay, who has hitched his sled to the magical vehicle, waves his arms in delight. He leaves behind his happy days playing with Gerda at her grandmother's house. Poor Gerda misses him terribly, and sets of to find him, encountering a prince and princes, talking birds, and even a band of dangerous bandits! Gerda's journey plays out across the bottom of the composition, drawing her ever closer to the Snow Queens frozen castle. The scene is gorgeously painted, in deep, rich tones, which are much more luscious in person than the photographs convey. A generous amount of metallic accents add an icy gleam. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the title, artist's name, village, and date of completion. There is a hinge at the top, and the interior is red lacquer. The base of this piece is flush. Exquisite!

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.)