Mstera artist Vladimir Molodkin did this piece back in the early 1970s showing the musician Sadko, with his gusli strapped around his shoulder, catching a fish on Lake Ilmen as the townsfolk from Novgorod look on. One of them seems to be particularly astonished at the size and magical nature of the catch. Molodkin painted this piece in the beautiful Mstera style that has captured the interest of lacquer box lovers for decades. (Later, Molodkin developed a more distinctive style for himself and has had his works appear in numerous books on the subject.) Framing the composition is a nice gold ornament. The sides and bottom are black, and the inside is red. The box is made out of high quality papier mache and has a hinge at the left. Signed with the name of the artist, village and title. As part of the normal aging process, the lacquer has thinned a bit allowing some of the brushtrokes and texture of the papier mache to show through, but overall the box is in great shape and has no significant flaws. Great chance to pick up an early work by an acknowledged master of the art form.

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.)