The melody of romance is in the air and on both sides of this cello shaped box from Kholui artist E. Krasnov. On the lid, a young maiden with flowers in her hair befriends an attentive deer, while her beau waits his turn behind her. On the other side there are two cherub cupids, along with a playful cat and two lovebirds. While one of them is in a playful mood and is playing a stringed instrument, the other one has his thoughts in a book, as if agonizing over the right formula to work his magic. Both sides of the box are painted with great detail and very fine touches of gold leaf. The cello opens up to a red interior. A lovely and refined stand goes with it, and can holds the work at a 45 degree angle. The box is signed on the lid with the name of the artist, village and title. A magnificent piece!

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.)