This square box by Palekh artist Valerij Bokarev depicts five scenes from the fairy tale "Tale of the Dead Princess". The box is small, very colorful and beautifully painted throughout. The drawing on the lid shows the princess taking the apple from the old woman. Her dog is jumping and barking, trying to warn her, but to no avail. She will eat it anyway and soonslip into the other world. The sides show other parts of the tale that are equally well done, each one framed in an exquisite gold and silver border. The box is made out of high quality papier mache and does not have a lid. It sits on four small legs. Signed with the name of the artist, village and year. A great traditional miniature! The artist, Valerij Konstantinovich Bokarev was born in 1954 and has participated in exhibitions since 1977, and his work has also been shown in several museums, including the one in Palekh.

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	9.5	10.0	10.0	10.0	48.5	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.)