A young woman out fetching water with her dog encounters a young man on horseback. The dog shrinks back from the massive, unfamiliar animal, while the horse, intrigued, leans closer. The humans watch with amusement as the horse's efforts at friendliness are met with soft whimpers as the dog tucks his tail between his legs and backs away. The scene is nicely painted in a striking limited palette, with wintry white and grey punctuated by occasional earth tones. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the artist's name (P. Sennitskij) and village There is a hinge on the left, and the interior is red lacquer. The flush base is adorned with an intricate pattern of silver which creates a lovely, swirling optical illusion.

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.)