This massive box from Fedoskino features a favorite scene from the fairy tale The Scarlet Flower. The beautiful and selfless daughter of a merchant wanders the grounds of the enchanted castle, holding the enchanted scarlet flower. The blossom casts a golden glow, which is reflected onto the embroidery of the maiden's dress, both of which gleam with gold foil underlay. The metallic blue of her gown emphasizes effects of flower's magic, while drawing attention to the figure. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed discreetly on the lid with the artist's name (Eftsalov) and village. There is a hinge on the left, and the interior is red lacquer. It is not dated, but was done in the early 1990's. (There is the number "3168" written on the bottom of the drawing, which corresponds to the number on the 1992 certificate from the factory, which we will include.) The body of the box has a number of surface cracks in the black lacquer, a few small chips, and two very small cracks near the hinge. None of the flaws, however, come close to threatening the painting on the lid, the beautiful ornament on the side, or other parts of the box, which are all in excellent condition. A very substantial piece and a classic, which comes at a very reasonable price.

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
9.0	8.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	47	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.)