Tsar Dadon escorts the Shamakha Queen back to his palace in this scene by Belozerov from The Tale of The Golden Cockerel. The court magician falls to his knees to beg for the Queen in return for the Magical bird,but Dadon, blinded by lust, raises his staff to strike his adviser. The use of brighter colors at the center of the scene draws the eye to the unfolding drama, while the subtle use of blue grey frames the scene. The main figures seem to glow against the black lacquer background, shimmering with fine golden accents. The sides are adorned with and intricate border of silver and gold. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the artist's name, village, and date of completion.There is no hinge, and the interior is red lacquer. It stands on four round feet. The base bears the Palekh insignia and the words, "Made in Russia." A striking fairy tale scene.

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.)