The poor musician turned wealthy merchant, Sadko, sits on the bank of a river within sight of Novgorod. He threw himself into the sea to spare his crew from the Sea Tsar's wrath, but one of the Tsar's daughters has helped him home. With a flutter of wings and cloud of magic, she bids Sadko farewell, leaving him in the hands of a pair of nearby mortal women. The Sea Tsar's face is visible in a swirl of water and startled fish, sad at the loss of his court musician. The scene is nicely painted in vibrant colors. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the artist's name (I. Bryukhanova) and village. There is a hinge at the top, and the interior is red lacquer. It stands on four curved legs.

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.)