Russian lacquer box artist Tatyana Smirnova blends together many fascinating images together on this small box, ranging from an amiable old Sea Tsar to the seductive beauty of the mermaid. The latter rests on the sea floor in front of an old sailing ship. Dolphins and fish seem to come out of nowhere, as does the youthful face of a young man. The mermaid is simply stunning with her flowing hair and body which ends in an raised inlay of iridescent mother of pearl. There is a small marble shaped piece of real malachite at two of the sides, surrounded by an extravagant ornament. The other two sides have two more fine drawings. The box is made out of high quality papier mache and does not have a hinge. It is signed with the name of the artist, village and year.

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	9.5

(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.)