The young girl huddles beneath snow laden pine boughs, denying her discomfort as Old Man Winter appears and asks if she is cold. At her feet sits a golden casket which he has given her for showing such politeness. The scene is painted in the traditional style, with the softly shimmering colors of the background mimicking a snowy, moonlit night. The bold colors of the girl's clothing stands out against the murky greens and grays, emphasizing the fact that she does not belong in the frozen woods. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the artist's name (Nomnov), village, and date of completion. There is a hinge at the top, and the interior is red lacquer, with a Fedoskino seal on the underside of the lid. The base of the box is flush, but is rests on four felt pads. Signs of aging are visible in the lacquer, most notably, tiny bubbles throughout, which may have been caused by dust at the time of its creation and are now apparent because of the thinning of the lacquer over time. However, those on the lid create the look of falling snow, and do not really detract from the scene. There is a crack on the front left corner of the box, which appears to pass completely through it, and is visible on the interior and exterior lacquer. The scene itself is in much better condition, with nothing compromising its integrity. A timeless work.

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
8.0	8.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	46	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.)