A lavishly dressed couple exchanges flirtatious glances from across the room. Rich fuchsias, purples, and blues adorn their clothing and ornate hats. The piece is illuminated with the warm gold tones shining from the background.This interesting palette creates a very surreal atmosphere. The scene spills onto the front and back sides of this piece. The rest of the box is black, and the interior is red. Who knows if this masquerade ball just began, or if these are just two lingering guests at the end of the night; but it is clear that these two are enjoying their distant flirtations. This box is made of high quality papier mache and has a hinge at the top. The bottom is flush. The lid is signed with the artist's name, N. Zotov, who is one of the top artist in the village of Fedoskino. An exceptional piece.

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.)