The beautiful Mistress of Copper Mountain appears before the young Stonecutter, Danilo, answering his plea to gaze upon her perfectly carved stone garden with an invitation to become one of her apprentices. Danilo hastily agrees, so obsessed with the need for perfection in his art, he has forgotten that the Mistress of Copper Mountain keeps her servants for eternity, and that he has a devoted wife who will miss him. The scene is beautifully painted in bold, rich colors accentuated with thoughtfully placed foil underlays and delicate gold and silver accents. The warm, earthy tones of Danilo's village contrast beautifully with the cool beauty of the crystals and stone of the enchanted garden. The strong composition creates a dramatic feel. The sides are decorated with twinkling gold and silver stars and vines, and the base features a trio of elegant birds amidst fanciful flowers in silver and gold. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the underside of the lid with the title, artist's name, village, and date of completion. There is a hinge on the left, and the interior is red lacquer.

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.)