The soft, creamy pastels of traditional Mstera lacquer art tell the seldom seen tale of "Ivan, the Widow's Son." Taken into the woods by a cruel stepfather with murder in his heart, Ivan was saved by supernatural intervention; whisked off to be a servant in an otherworldly palace. Unhappy, Ivan escapes, using magical items stolen from his captor. The palace burns in the distance as Ivan watches on horseback from a nearby hillside. The Tsar's procession passes below, and Ivan overhears that whoever can do a seemingly impossible task will be granted whatever they wish. Luckily, Ivan has the enchanted item and completes the task lickety-split! He asks for the hand of the Tsar's beautiful daughter, and becomes heir to the throne. The scene is well painted, with distinct expressions on each figure, and fascinating details. The scene is framed by an ornate golden border, with a clever effect of the edges turning up to reveal a pattern of blue diamonds. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the title, artist's name (S. Nikitin), and village. There is a hinge at the top, and the interior is red lacquer. The base of this piece is flush. A distinctive work.--BOX1097

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.)