Beneath the orb and candle laden boughs of a Christmas tree, a spritely Nutcracker, part Napoleon and part Puck, grandly introduces himself to Clara from atop a hobby horse. Clara bows politely as she pats the horse's nose, her eyes wide with disbelief. O. Yastrebov's distinctive style combines child-like figures, softly gilded moonlight tones, and joyous sprinkling of glitter (some of them seen as specks of light in these photos) against the velvety black background create unforgettable fantasies. He is featured extensively in the recent book, "Russian Lacquer Miniatures, Palekh, Mstiora, Fedoskino, Kholui." This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the title, artist's name, village, and date of completion. There is a hinge on the left, and the interior is red lacquer. It rests 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.)