The young girl draws back, startled, as Morozko presents her with a casket of jewels and a warm blanket. He gestures kindly that she has earned them, through her good behavior and kind heart. Although a snowy cottage is within sight, she has been instructed to stay put by her father, and refuses to disobey his wishes. Morozko's magical nature is apparent in his sudden emergence from a mountain pine, as the icy stream rises to his shoulders, becoming a gold strewn cloak. A thin crescent moon sets as the sun rises above the cottage. A team of three horses roar into view behind Morozko as the girl's father, unable to stomach his cruel wife's plan any longer, races to save his daughter. (To read the whole fairy tale, click here.) The sides of the box are adorned with a continuation of the wintry scene, with woodland creatures sniffing the frosty air at the unfamiliar scent of a human. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the title, artist's name, and village. There is no hinge, and the interior is red lacquer. It stands on four curved legs. A unique rendition of a favorite tale, done by a prominent artist from Kholui, N. Yudina. Another one of this artist's works is shown the book Masterpieces of Russian Folk Art: Lacquer Miniatures Kholui (Moscow, 1995) on p. 143--BOX1026

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	9.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	48	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.)