Picturesque winter scene by Fedoskino artist Evgenij Shishkin. The landscape is blanketed with snow, including the hidden rustic cabins. These houses are partially hidden by trees, but we know someone is probably home there as smoke can be seen coming from their chimneys. Both the sky and river have lovely shimmers from crushed mother of pearl paint. Nobody presents the quintessential Russian winter scene in miniature better than this Fedoskino artist.

The drawing is framed by a gold and blue border, which is repeated near the bottom, as well. The sides have a base color of light pink in the center that turns into a reddish brown closer to the edges. In addition, tiny glittery specks (you can't see these in the photos here) and little squiggly lines add to its unique and beautiful appearance. If there was any fault, it would be that the top part of the box is lined up just a hair off from the bottom half, but it is something you may not even notice or care about. Otherwise the box is in great condition. It is signed on the bottom with the name of the artist and village.

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	9.5	10.0	48.5	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.)