From the very active imaginations of Kholui artists S. and K. Komogorovy comes another interesting piece: "Dragon Tamer". The elf is dwarfed by the size of the rabbit and the dragon, but that doesn't stop him from carrying on his business in an energetic fashion. He'll get his man (or rather, beast) but whether the rope will hold, that is another story. Although the rabbit seems to be moving along at a healthy clip, the expression on his face is not exactly one of enthusiasm. The dragon, meanwhile, seems to have come to an abrupt halt. Perhaps he has been turned back by the edge of the box as fantasy and reality seemingly collide. In the background of all this excitement stand quietly a small group of buildings near the mountains and water. Two line ornaments wind their way around the box with creative golden embellishments drawn at the corners and center of each side. The box is made out of high quality papier mache and has a hinge at the top. The bottom is gently carved so that the corners are raised above the surface of the table. The box is signed underneath with the name of the artists, village and title. Other works by these artists can be found in the book Russian Lacquer Miniatures.

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.)