This four sided box, drawn by master artist Vera Smirnova, depicts scenes from Tsaikovsky's masterpiece, where the Mouse King rages battle with Clara's beloved nutcracker. On top of the box you see all three of them in one place, intricately woven together into one chaotic and festive scene. An owl swoops down, maybe he can help eat a few the mice! The Mouse King, according to the story, has seven heads, though the Smirnova drew him with eight. Chalk that one up to artistic license. The details and radiant gold on the drawing are first rate and truly lovely to see. The sides of the box are also filled with more vivid images from the tale, each one more vibrant than the next where you can almost feel the motion and dynamic nature of the characters and animals. Each scene is cradled in a beautifully drawn gold ornament at the bottom. Smirnova seems to have a special secret in making the gold just that much brighter than other artists. The box is made out of high quality papier mache and sits on four legs. It opens at the top and does not have a hinge. Smirnova signed the box under the lid with her name, title, village and year.