On each side of this unique small violin shaped box, Palekh artist Ekatarina Bykova paints a scene showing two young lovers enjoying their time outdoors on a warm summer day. In one of the scenes, the woman playfully places a wreath on the head of her beau as he gently wraps his own hand around her. In the other scene, the two are sitting close to each other, touching hands, a dog at their knees. This side is our favorite of the two and her hint of a smile here is as genuine as they come. The breed of the dog defies categorization, and those may be the best kind. Both scenes have light touches of radiant gold accenting the people and objects. The sides of the instrument has a mixture of mostly greens and light gold. The box opens up and there is a hinge. It has a beautifully sculpted stand that goes with it which is drawn with colors similar to that of the sides. When you display it on the stand, either side of the instrument can be face out. So pick your favorite one to show off! The box and stand are made out of high quality papier mache. The work is signed under the lid of the instrument with the name of the artist, title and village. The artist also indicates it is an original work.

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.)