Under the shadow of a quaint village, two well to do couples have taken their troikas, or carriages, on an excursion to the countryside. At the top of the hill, the stately village church stands above simple wooden cottages with brightly colored roofs. The foremost couple is deep in conversation as they take in the scenery. Their coachman whisks them down a bumpy dirt lane, beside a calm stream as the horses prance. The far couple has chosen to drive themselves, and it appears that the gentleman is offering the reins to his lady, who sits beside him with a hand on his leg. A peasant family emerges from the trees, with heads bowed in respect to the travelers. The scene is surrounded by a thick, golden border resembling a fleur de lis motif. The sides are adorned with an exquisite floral design in red and blue, heavily laden with gold paint, and edged with a blue and gold pattern. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the title, artist's name, and village. There is a hinge at the top of the lid, and the interior is red lacquer. The base of this piece is flush. A unique treatment of a favorite subject by the well respected Mstera artist V. Tikhomirov --BOX1396

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.)