Russian Gifts

All Matreshka (nesting dolls) are handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is hand turned from linden wood and then hand painted by a professional nesting doll artist. It is a typical nesting doll, and each smaller piece of the set fits into the next larger one. The whole set has a gentle matte finish.

Lacquer Boxes are crafted using a traditional layering technique similar to papier maché. After a month of repeatedly adding new layers, the box is lacquered to a smooth finish. The top is then buffed with pumice and the dust is swept off the box with a feather. Finally, the box is delicately painted and a last layer of lacquer is applied. The boxes are produced in four villages of Russia: Palekh, Fedoskino, Mstyora, and Kholui. Palekh is the best known lacquer box village; its boxes are usually fairytales painted in rich warm colors on a black background and then accented with fine gold brushstrokes. Fedoskino is the village closest to Moscow; its boxes are often landscapes with a luminescent quality often created with mother-of-pearl or gold and silver paint. Mstyora, not far from Palekh, features bright colors and a decorative frame around the painting. Kholui, located between Palekh and Mstyora, mixes the styles of those two villages.

Gzhel porcelain decorated with fancy blue painting has acquired wide popularity in the whole wide world. Its value consists in its uniqueness and decorativeness. Gzhel ware is decorated with flowers, leaves, bunches and garlands of flowers. They are painted with the only colour - blue cobalt, which is sometimes laid wide and rich dab and other times in hardly noticeable touch of the brush. Touches of different intensity create a rich, bright and very impressive picture.