Vladimir Moshkovich is one of the most recognized names in Mstera art and here is a beautiful little box that he did a number of years ago. The box shows an unnamed poet in the center with his quill pen and notepad. He takes in the sites and sounds of the Russian countryside. Behind him a girl picks berries under the birch trees, and in the far distance, a horseman gallops to his destination. All the surruondings are painted in the very colorful and traditional style that the Mstera village is known for. The composition is framed by a quite intricate gold ornament which incorporates flowers and leaves. The box is made out of high quality papier mache and has a hinge. It lies flat on the surface of the table. Signed at the bottom of the composition with the name of the artist, village and title. The box comes in the original cardboard box which has an official factory sticker giving the title, price (67.00 ?rubles?) and date, 1975. The paint used for the composition is in great shape, has no scratches, and shows no sign of any chips. The lacquer has thinned after about 35 years, though, and one will notice the texture of the papier mache and some of the brush strokes of the artist.

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
8.5	9.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	47.5	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.)