With a bird in her right hand, and a rabbit and a fox at her feet, The Snow Maiden is surely in her element in this wintry forest. Palekh artist Tatyana Smirnova drew this small box in 1997 in her inimitable endearing style. The animals and maiden herself are all drawn sympathetically and you would love to be in their company. Very thin lines of gold and silver help define the shapes of the objects in the drawing and give it a subtle glow. There are fine ornaments on the top and sides. The box is made out of papier mache and sits flat. It has a red interior. Signed with the name of the artist, village and year. On the bottom, Smirnova has written in gold leaf "Made in Russia" and draws her signature TC mark.

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	9.5	10.0	10.0	10.0	48.5	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.)