The Little Mermaid, having traded her voice for the ability to become human rises from the sea in a swirl of rose colored taffeta. The handsome prince clasps her hand and helps her from the water. His tender gaze is full of concern, but he remains completely unaware of the mermaid's desperate longing, made plain by the wild look of passionate pleading in her wide blue eyes. Her sisters peer from the waves, their curiosity and concern for their young sister overcoming their fears of swimming so close to land. The entire surface of the lid is created from a large shell, which lends its shape to the box. The scintilating gleam of mother of pearl glows through M. Vagner's signature palette of transparent jewel tones. The body of the box sparkles with a mist of silver paint adorned with a cluster of flowers on its flush base. The box opens to reveal a portrait of the mermaid as she was, perched atop the rolling crest of a wave, marveling at the beauty of a rose on the underside of the lid. Here the mother of pearl is even more vibrant, creating a a dazzling illusion of sunset. The interior of the box is awash with a roiling sea awash with whitecaps. Vagner has painted this box beautifully in her unique style, with a keen eye for detail and expression. It is made of high quality papier mache, and is signed on the lid with the artist's name and village. There is a hinge on the top left, and the interior is red lacquer.

We will be doing something different in the sale of this box. From 5/24-5/30, we will be taking email offers on it at at ajstone@lacquerbox.com. We will sell it to the person who comes up with the highest bid, whether it is $5 or $5000. It will be a silent auction, so you will not know what others are bidding. In other words, let both your instinct and our suggested gallery price guide you in coming up with an amount you are comfortable with. If you have any questions, just send an email to me at ajstone@lacquerbox.com.

Note for collectors club members: Club discounts do apply in this auction. For example, if you are in the 15% discount bracket, and you offer $1000, your offer will be counted as that amount in the auction, but your total sale price will only be $850. --BOX1050

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.)