The legendary knight, Ilya Muromets, whistles in reply to a tiny bird who sings cheerfully from his perch on Ilya's finger. The defeated highwayman, Solovej Razbojnik, purses his lips as thought to join in, but the harsh glance of our hero and his steed stop the infamous whistle in Solovej's throat. The forest creatures gather around the knight, with a few of the bolder squirrels perched on his shoulders, thankful that he has defeated the menace whose deadly whistle had driven them from their home. The scene is beautifully painted in warm, creamy tones. A wealth of tiny details beg the viewer to look more closely, seeming to appear from nowhere. Have you spotted the frog? Or the family of hedgehogs? Whimsical touches add strong charm to the scene. A thick golden border frames the scene, and is repeated on the sides, as befits a folk hero of Ilya's status. The box is made of high quality papier mache, and is signed on the lid with the title, artist's name (M. Kalenov), and village. There is a hinge on the left, and the interior is red lacquer. It rests on four round legs. A striking treat for your eyes.--BOX1095

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.)