Flanked by Father Frost on the left and Faerie Spring on the right, the Snow Maiden makes a beautiful appearance in this lovely box by Palekh artist Vera Smirnova. The fine details and radiant gold throughout make for a truly exquisite scene. Perhaps the most amazing section is encapsulated in the sun's rays, which are shining down on Faerie Spring. Not only is there a brilliant radiance in them,but there is an almost unbelievable microscopic separation between each ray. (The photo of the box, unfortunately, has no hope of showing this accurately.) Other gold details are done equally well and are much more vibrant the the photo might suggest. The box is made out of high quality papier mache, has a nice gold ornament around the sides, and sits on three small rounded legs. There is a hinge at the top. A great example of the superb workmanship coming from this Palekh artist.

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.)