The old merchant pauses in his travel to pick the scarlet flower for his youngest daughter, unaware that the Beast of the Forest is guarding the bloom. It stretches its gnarled fingers out to stop him. Three enchanted horseman call out a warning, but, alas, it seems the old man cannot hear them. Even the pile of golden coins in the adjacent ditch is invisible to him; so intent is he on retrieving the humble gift. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the title, artist's name (Kosobryukhova), and village. There is a hinge at the top, and the interior is red lacquer. The base of the piece is flush, and bears the Kholui insignia. A favorite fairy tale 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.)