A gallery of dour characters adorns this work from Palekh artist Chigarev, entitled "Tobacco Connoisseurs." Each partakes of their habit in the preferred manner; the gentlemen with pipes and cigarettes, and the ladies with pinches of snuff, harkening back top the origins of lacquerware as snuffboxes. The younger woman in the background sneezes uncontrollably, as happens with snuff, while her counterpart snorts a healthy pinch, her face contorting into a grimace. The squinty eyed gentlemen, hoping to look aristocratic, become charicatures. The scene is rendered in bright, crisp colors, and accented with bands of silver paint around the lid and sides. 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 no hinge, and the interior is red lacquer. It rests on three round legs. A distinctive, satirical work.--BOX1219

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.)