This large box by O. Belova tells the tale "The Snowstorm," a Pushkin epic of romance and mistaken identity. The tale begns on the bottom right, in the elegant home of Marya's parents. She sobs inconsolably as they make plain their disapproval of her impoverished suitor. Unfortunately, this serves only to fan the flames of her passion, and she agrees to elope with Vladimir. In the dead of winter, they agree to meet at a nearby church to be married. As Vladimir set out for the church, a terrible storm began. Despite his familiarity with the landscape, he is lost in the blinding white, and roams desperately at the top of the box. The bells of a troika chime faintly in the haze, as it carries Burmin through the night. He enters the church, at bottom left, seeking shelter from the storm, and is mistaken for the groom. Before he can protest, he finds himself wed to Marya, who faints as she realizes the mistake. The center takes us four years ahead. Marya has grown into an enchanting young woman, and has fallen in love with a secretive colonel. As they sit in her garden, he explains that he cannot marry her, for he already has a wife, but does not know who she is. He tells a tale of being lost in a snowstorm, and accidentally married. It is Burmin! Marya shyly reveals that it was she. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the title, artist's name, village, and date of completion. There is a hinge on the left, and the interior is red lacquer. It stands on four curved legs. A touching work.--BOX1036

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.)