Old Tsar Dadon accepts the magician's price for the enchanted golden cockerel. Lacquer art artist Sergej Chistov's mastery of his medium is evident in the play of light and shadow within the scene, created by painterly skill alone. Glittering golden accents wink and sparkle, set off beautifully by the opaque colors of the scene. Each figure wears an easily readable expression, helping to tell the story. Even his fool gasps at the possible outcomes of such an open ended bargain, and an adviser stares at the tsar as though to discern whether he has gone mad. The magician simply smiles, pleased with the deal, perhaps having forseen his reward. The scene is beautifully painted in rich tones, with sparkling gold foil accents. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the artist's name, village, and date of completion. There is a hinge at the top, and the interior is red lacquer, with the Fedoskino insignia on the underside of the lid. The base of this piece is flush. A dazzling example of why Chistov is considered to be one of the top living lacquer artists.--BOX1001

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.)