Nesting Dolls (Matryoshka) - Traditional - 10 doll sets - Folk Art
Russian Gifts

'Ballet' $179.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 5-7 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the largest one is signed by artist. RUSSIAN BALLET Russia has made a unique contribution to the development of ballet. Ballet was introduced in Russia together with other aristocratic dance forms as part of Peter the Great's Westernization program in the early 1700s. The first ballet school was established in 1734, and the first full ballet company was founded at the Imperial School of Ballet in St. Petersburg in the 1740s. Italian and French dancers and choreographers predominated in that period, but by 1800 Russian ballet was assimilating native elements from folk dancing as nobles sponsored dance companies of serfs. European ballet critics agreed that the Russian dance had a positive influence on West European ballet. Marius Petipa, a French choreographer who spent fifty years staging ballets in Russia, was the dominant figure during that period; his greatest triumphs were the staging of Tchaikovsky's ballets. Other noted European dancers, such as Marie Taglioni, Christian Johansson, and Enrico Cecchetti, performed in Russia throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, bringing new influences from the West. The most influential figure of the early twentieth century was the impresario Sergey Diaghilev, who founded an innovative touring ballet company in 1909 with choreographer Michel Fokine, dancer Vaslav Nijinksy, and designer Alexandre Benois. After the staging of Stravinskiy's controversial The Rite of Spring , World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution kept Diaghilev from returning to Russia. Until Diaghilev died in 1929, his Russian dance company, the Ballet Russe, was headquartered in Paris. In the same period, the emigre dancer Anna Pavlova toured the world with her troupe and exerted a huge influence on the art form. After Diaghilev, several new companies calling themselves the Ballet Russe toured the world, and new generations of Russian dancers filled their ranks. George Balanchine, a Georgian emigre and protege of Diaghilev, formed the New York City Ballet in 1948. Meanwhile, the Soviet government sponsored new ballet companies throughout the union. After a period of innovation and experimentation in the 1920s, Russia's ballet reverted under Stalin to the traditional forms of Petipa, even changing the plots of some ballets to emphasize the positive themes of socialist realism. The most influential Russian dancer of the mid-twentieth century was Rudolf Nureyev, who defected to the West in 1961 and is credited with establishing the dominant role of the male dancer in classical ballet. A second notable emigre, Mikhail Baryshnikov, burnished an already brilliant career in the United States after defecting from Leningrad's Kirov Ballet in 1974. The large cities of Russia traditionally have their own symphony orchestras and ballet and opera houses. Although funding for such facilities has diminished in the 1990s, attendance at performances remains high. The ballet companies of the Bol'shoy Theater in Moscow and the Kirov Theater in St. Petersburg are world renowned and have toured regularly since the early 1960s.

'Blue & Gold' $54.45 Size: a approx. 6.4' Metric: a 16 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted in a unique Russian Gzhel style (with an unusual usage of golden paint) 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer. GZHEL 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. The history of Gzhel porcelain began in the seventeeth century. The pocelain took the name 'Gzhel' after the village Gzhel which is situated in Moscow gerion. The first documentary evidence about the village dates back to the 1339 ecclesiastical charter of the Russian tzar Ivan Kalita. There, at the distance of 60 km from Moscow people had been long engaged in pottery. Archaeological discoveries confirm the existence of pottery on Gzhel territory since the beginning of the fourteenth century. Gzhel crafters have always made not only table-ware, but also small genre sculpture. These works depicted animals and people in action. From time to time entire scenes of rural or urban life were depicted in such sculptures. For example: traditional tea-drinking, beauties walking or sitting at work, hens, roosters, birds and so on. All works have a uniting feature - hand-made fancy blue painting on white background. They are all truly hand-made! The artist paints every cup or vase with a brush. That is why there are no two similar works, each one being really unique and keeping the style of its creator. Gzhel craftsmen are true artists that join talent and centuries-old experience of their predecessors. However, hand-made works are labour-intensive. They always come in small numbers, which often cannot meet the demand. Even in Russia not many people have Gzhel ware; and collectors are very proud of their collections. The original ware has the hallmark 'Gzhel' which confirms its authenticity and quality. All Gzhel works are created in plaster forms being cast from liquid porcelain mass. After the first burning the form is painted by cobalt. Usually the background stays white. Then painting is covered by glaze. Glaze fuses and makes the surface of the work glassy, giving cobalt its blue colour. Ornaments of gzhel items are normally based on plants and flowers (roses are the most widely distributed kinds of gzhel patterns). Modern Gzhel art is charming, cheerful and original. It soaks up the beauty of Russian nature and reserved, strong and expressive spirit of Russian people. Today Gzhel is going through its golden age. There appear magnificent works with their mysterious dark blue shades floating through the light field. Fabulous patterns, garlands, free touches coupled with subtle drawings - all of this makes Gzhel ware original, decorative and attractive.

'Blue & White' $54.45 Size: a approx. 6.4' Metric: a 16 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted in a unique Russian Gzhel style 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Cathedral in Winter' $89.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer. RUSSIAN CHURCHES & CATHEDRALS Orthodox Christianity was brought to Russia during the time of Vladimir, Grand Prince of Kiev, during the twelfth century. Vladimir sent representatives to distant lands to study the religions of other civilizations. They reported back to him saying: Then we went to Greece, and the Greeks led us to where they worship their God, and we knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth. For on earth there is no such splendor or such beauty, and we are at a loss how to describe it. We only know that God dwells there among men. (The Russian Primary Chronicle) Bishops from Greece traveled to Russia to spread the faith, and Vladimir and many of his countrymen were converted to Christianity. The history of Russia was always characterized by invasions from foreign enemies, such as the Tartar Khans, in which the people sought to defend their homeland. By the 16th century the Khans suppressed the independence of the Russian lands, exacting monetary tribute, and prohibiting the unhindered practice of the Orthodox Christianity by the Russian peoples. It was primarily the desire for political and economic freedom, and the desire for the freedom to worship in the Orthodox Christian manner, which lead the Russian Czar Ivan Grozny to lead an army of 150,000 upon the Tartar stronghold at the city of Kazan in the summer of 1552. On the Orthodox Feast Day of the Protection of the Theotokos, called 'the Pokhrov' (October 1, 1552) the army marched on Kazan. The following day the city fell to the armies of Ivan. The victory was attributed to the intercessions of the Theotokos (the Mother of God) on behalf of the Russian people. Some 3 years later in 1555 the Czar ordered the beginning of the construction of the Pokhrovsky Cathedral in commemoration of this victory. The Cathedral of the Pokhrov, commonly called St. Basil's Cathedral, is one of the most prominent landmarks in Russia, and one of the most spectacular buildings in the world. It is recognized the world over as a symbol of Russia and of the Russian Orthodox Church. After Constantinople fell to the Turks in 1453, Russia continued for several centuries to develop a national art that had grown out of the middle Byzantine period. During the 10th-15th centuries, Russian art had begun to show marked local variation from the Byzantine model, and after the fall of Constantinople it continued along these distinctive lines of development. This period of Russian art, which lasted until the adoption of western European culture in the 18th century, is also known as the Moscow or National period. During the Moscow period, churches in Russia began to develop a style all their own. The following brief essay describes well the changes in Russian architecture: After the hegemony in the world of Orthodox Christianity shifted to Muscovite Russia, Moscow, having become the new city of Constantine--the 'third Rome'--and aspiring to rival the older centres of culture, launched a building program commensurate with its international importance. The Kremlin and two of its important churches were rebuilt by Italian architects between 1475 and 1510. These churches, the Assumption (Uspensky) Cathedral and the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel, were largely modeled after the churches of Vladimir. The Italians were required to incorporate the basic features of Byzantine planning and design into the new cathedrals; it was only in the exterior decoration of St. Michael the Archangel that they succeeded in introducing Italian decorative motifs. A third church, the modest Annunciation Cathedral (1484-89), with its warm beauty, was the work of Pskov architects. There the kokoshniki were introduced in the treatment of the roof. This element, similar in outline to the popular Russian bochka roof (pointed on top, with the sides forming a continuous double curve, concave above and convex below), foreshadowed a tendency to replace the forms of the Byzantine arch by more elongated silhouettes. Ecclesiastical architecture began to lose the special features associated with the Byzantine heritage, becoming more national in character and increasingly permeated with the taste and thought of the people. The most important change in Russian church design of the 16th century was the introduction of the tiered tower and the tent-shaped roof first developed in wood by Russia's carpenters. Next was the substitution of the bulb-shaped spire for the traditional Byzantine cupola. This affected the design of masonry architecture by transforming its proportions and decoration and even its structural methods. The buildings acquired a dynamic, exteriorized articulation and specifically Russian national characteristics. The boldest departures from Byzantine architecture were the churches of the Ascension at Kolomenskoye (1532) and the Decapitation of St. John the Baptist at Dyakovo (c. 1532) and, above all, the Cathedral of St. Basil (Vasily) the Blessed (or, the Pokrovsky Cathedral) in Moscow, 1554-60. In St. Basil the western academic architectural concepts, based on rational, manifest harmony, were ignored; the structure, with no easily readable design and a profusion of disparate colourful exterior decoration, is uniquely medieval Russian in content and form, in technique, decoration, and feeling. St. Basil, like its predecessors the churches at Kolomenskoye and Dyakovo, embodies the characteristic features of the wood churches of northern Russia, translated into masonry. An effective finishing touch was given to the ensemble of the Kremlin's Cathedral Square by the erection of the imposing Belfry of Ivan II the Great, begun in 1542. The colossal white stone 'column of fame,' with its golden cupola gleaming above the Kremlin hill, was the definite expression of an era, reflecting the tastes and grandiose political ambitions of the rising Russian state. (Russian Orthodox Church)

'Cathedrals' $57.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a matte Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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 is made using a woodburning technique in combination with a beautiful golden metal incrustation. Each doll has a gentle matte finish.

'Collage of Russian Fairy Tales' (set 1) $97.49 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted by a professional nesting doll artist. The dolls in this set display scenes from a random selection of Russian fairy tales. They are all unified by traditional picturesque style of painting. It is a typical nesting doll, and each smaller piece of the set fits into the next larger one. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the tallest one is signed by artist.

'Collage of Russian Fairy Tales' (set 2) $97.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted by a professional nesting doll artist. The dolls in this set display scenes from a random selection of Russian fairy tales. They are all unified by traditional picturesque style of painting. It is a typical nesting doll, and each smaller piece of the set fits into the next larger one. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the tallest one is signed by artist

'Collage of Russian Fairy Tales' (set 3) $139.95 Size: a approx. 10' Metric: a 25 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. This particular one is made in the city of Vladimir. It is first handturned from linden wood and then handpainted by a professional nesting doll artist. The dolls in this set display scenes from a random selection of Russian fairy tales. They are all unified by a tender pastel gamma used by the artist. It is a typical nesting doll, and each smaller piece of the set fits into the next larger one. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Collage of Russian Fairy Tales' (set 4) $139.95 Size: a approx. 10' Metric: a 25 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. This particular one is made in the city of Vladimir. It is first handturned from linden wood and then handpainted by a professional nesting doll artist. The dolls in this set display scenes from a random selection of Russian fairy tales. They are all unified by a traditional picturesque style of painting. It is a typical nesting doll, and each smaller piece of the set fits into the next larger one. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Fairy Tales' $54.45 Size: a 6.4' Metric: a 16 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. This particular one is made in the city of Sergiev Posad. It is first handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Festive' (Aristocratic lady) $58.95 Size: a approx. 2.8' Metric: a 7 cm Consists of: a 5 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer. HOLIDAYS IN RUSSIA For centuries Russians have been known as the people paying great attention to national holidays and festivals. Russian festivities have always been the colorful and the joyous ones. From Shrovetide (Maslenitsa) to Ivan Kupala Day and from Harvest Gathering Holidays to the Magnificent Christmas, each holiday was simultaneously saturated with loud joyfulness and deeper meaning, touching upon the heart, mind and soul of everyone taking part in it. This tiny nesting doll brings to you the feeling of Russian nineteenth century festivity. The 5 piece nesting doll shown on the picture is a sample of what the first five dolls in your 10 doll nest will look like.

'Festive' (Russian hussar) $58.95 Size: a approx. 2.8' Metric: a 7 cm Consists of: a 5 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Festive Gathering in the Streets' $128.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the largest one is signed by artist.

'Fire Bird' Fairy Tale (set 1) $72.95 Size: a approx. 6.4' Metric: a 16 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, displaying beautiful paintings based on the 'Fire Bird' fairy tale. The full name of the fairy tale is, of course, 'Ivan Tsarevich, the Fire Bird and Gray Wolf' and you may read the whole tale below. IVAN TSAREVICH, THE FIRE BIRD & GRAY WOLF (Russian Fairy-Tale) In a far away land a thief was stealing golden apples which had the power of bestowing youth and beauty from Tsar Berendey's magic Garden. The guards of the Tsar were unable to stop this, for as hard as they tried, the thief always got away. None of the guards could even see this thief. The Tsar was frustrated for he needed the golden apples for himself, as he was married to a very beautiful young Queen. The only person who spotted the thief was the Tsar's son, Prince Ivan Tsarevich. As the night came upon the Garden, the young Tsarevich hid under a water bucket and listened closely to every sound around him. At dawn, the Prince almost fell asleep, but the silence was broken by a magical being. The Prince pulled the water bucket up slightly so he could just see through the thin opening. And there it was; The Fire Bird. In the depth of night the Fire Bird would fly into the garden with its feathers blazing with a silvery of golden sheen. Its eyes were shining like crystals and would light the place as brightly as a thousand burning fires. The Tsarevich crawled up to the unsuspecting bird, and rushed to grab it by the tail. The next day Prince Ivan told his father the old Tsar, about the Fire Bird. He showed his father the only feather he had managed to get from the Bird's tail. As the Bird was too smart and flew away. From that day on the Tsar was obsessed with the idea of capturing the Fire Bird for himself. In order to find the Bird he sent his three sons on a journey to another Kingdom. Ivan Tsarevich's adventure begins when after a long day's ride he falls asleep, only to awake in the morning and find his horse gone. Wondering through the woods he meets a gray wolf who confesses that he ate the horse. Grateful that Ivan had spared his life, Gray Wolf offers to let Ivan ride on his back. Grey Wolf takes Ivan to Tsar Afron's kingdom, where the Fire Bird is kept in a golden cage inside the Tsar's walled garden. The Prince warned by the Gray Wolf to take only the bird, and not the cage, takes the cage as well and triggers an alarm. Captured by Tsar Afron, he is told that in order to have the Fire Bird he must pay for it with the Horse of the Golden Mane, which is in possession of Tsar Kusman. The Gray Wolf carries Ivan to Kusman's palace and advises him to acquire the horse but not the bridle. Once again the Prince is tempted by the gold and diamonds in the bridle, so he ignores the advice. He again becomes captured by Kusman, who now says he will only give him the horse in exchange for the fair Princess Elena, who was residing with Tsar Dalmat. This time the wolf does the work himself and seizes Elena. He brings her back to Ivan and the Prince falls in love with her. The wolf offers to trick Kusman by assuming Elena's shape and also to trick Afron too by assuming the form of the horse. Ivan returns, with Elena, the horse and the Fire Bird, however when the wolf leaves him he is ambushed and killed by his brothers. The wolf then returns and revives him with the Waters of Life and Death, the brothers are banished, and Ivan Tsarevich meets Tsar Berendey to tell his tragic story. When the Tsar's grief fades, the Prince marries Elena the Fair and they lived happily ever after.

'Fire Bird' Fairy Tale (set 2) $72.95 Size: a approx. 6.4' Metric: a 16 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, displaying beautiful paintings based on the 'Fire Bird' fairy tale. The full name of the fairy tale is, of course, 'Ivan Tsarevich, the Fire Bird and Gray Wolf' and you may read the whole tale below.

'Folk Celebration' $100.95 Size: a approx. 9.6' Metric: a 24 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Geese & Swans' Fairy Tale $60.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer. GEESE & SWANS (Russian Fairy Tale) Once upon a time, there lived a man and his wife. They had a daughter and a little son. One day the mother said to her daughter: - Little daughter, your father and I will go to work. Take care of your brother and don't leave the house. Be a good girl and we will buy you a kerchief. After the parents left the house, the girl forgot her parents' instructions, and left her little brother in the garden near the house so she could play with her girlfriends. While the girl was enjoying herself with her friends wicked geese and swans swooped down and stole her little brother out of the garden. The poor girl returned home only to discover that her brother was gone. She wept bitterly calling for her baby brother. While she was crying in the field she saw the wicked birds in the sky. The girl figured out that they were the ones behind the kidnapping of her brother. She suddenly remembered that people always said that geese and swans frequently stole little children. She ran after them desperately trying to catch up to them when she saw a stove. The girl asked it if it had seen the geese and swans and begged it to show her in what direction they had flown. The Stove answered: 'Eat my rye patty and I will show you the direction.' The girl replied: 'I won't eat your rye patties. I don't eat even wheat patties at home.' The Stove did not show her the direction. The girl kept on running and soon she saw an apple-tree and asked it if it had seen in what direction the geese and swans flew. The apple-tree answered: 'Eat my wild forest apple and I will show you.' The girl responded: 'I won't eat your wild apple. I don't eat even cultivated apples from my father's garden.' The apple-tree didn't show her the direction. The girl ran and ran and at last she saw a Milk River with kissel [a kind of sweet starchy jelly] banks. The girl asked: 'Milk River, kissel banks, could you tell me in what direction geese and swans have flown carrying my poor little brother?' The Milk River replied: 'Eat my milk kissel and I will show you the direction.' 'I don't eat even cream at home,' the girl responded. The girl ran in forests and fields and in the evening she saw a little hut that stood on chicken legs and turned itself around. Her little brother sat on the bench and played with silver apples. In the hut old Baba Yaga was spinning yarn. The girl said: 'Baba Yaga let me rest and warm myself.' 'Take the distaff and spin,' Baba Yaga replied. After Baba Yaga had left the room the girl saw a little gray mouse. 'Give me some porridge and I will give you a piece of good advice,' said the little mouse. The girl gave it some porridge and the mouse continued: 'Baba Yaga has gone to stoke a stove, she is going to wash you, and then she is intending to roast you in the stove and eat you. Take your little brother and run and I will spin instead of you.' The girl was very frightened and naturally followed the mouse's advice. She took her brother and ran away. Baba Yaga asked if the girl spun yarn and the mouse answered that she did. Baba Yaga returned and found that the girl and her little brother disappeared. She ordered: 'Geese and swans! Fly and catch sister and brother.' The girl and her little brother reached the Milk River and noticed that geese and swans were in pursuit of them. 'Dear Milk River, please hide us,' the girl entreated. 'Eat my kissel.' The children ate kissel and the Milk River hid them under its kissel banks. The geese and swans didn't find them and the children went on running but soon they soon noticed the geese and swans spotted them and were in hot pursuit. They saw the Apple-tree and the girl begged: 'Dear Apple-tree, please, hide us!' 'Eat my wild forest apples.' The children ate the apples and thanked the apple-tree. The apple-tree covered them with its branches and Geese and Swans didn't notice them. The girl and her brother continued running and this time when the geese and swans saw them again the children nearly got caught. Fortunately at the right moment, the children saw the Stove and asked: 'Stove, please, hide us,' cried the girl. 'Eat my rye patty,' said the stove. The children ate the patties and concealed themselves in the Stove. The geese and swans could not catch the sister and brother and they flew away. The children thanked the Stove and went home. At the exact moment that the children returned home their parents came home from work. To this day the children vowed not to worry their parents with the events that transpired that day, and everyone lived happily ever after.

'Golden Ring of Russia' (set 1) $121.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the largest one is signed by artist. The doll displays gorgeous cathedrals of Moscow, Sergiev Posad, Vladimir, Suzdal, Rostov Veliky and other cities of 'The Golden Ring' of Russia. Both the architectural miniatures on the dolls' bellies and the scarves of each doll in this set are painted in the world-famous Gzhel style. 'THE GOLDEN RING' OF RUSSIA 'The Golden Ring' of Russia is the name of the north-eastern part of what used to be the State of Muskovy which is famous for its historical monuments of old Russian architecture. Visiting Moscow, Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Kostroma and other regions one sees splendid man-made monuments of the past which were there witnesses of historical events of Russia. The Golden Ring of Russia includes the following cities: Moscow [the current capital of Russia] Zagorsk (since 1930) or Sergiev Posad (renamed in 1991) [founded in 1345 by Sergius of Radonezh in the souhth of Smolensk-Moscow Hills] Vladimir [founded in 1108 on the left bank of the Klyazma River as a fortress by Vladimir Vsevoldovich Monomakh for defense of Rostov-Suzdal Rus] Suzdal [founded in the 9-10th century on the Kamenka River Valley] Rostov Veliky (or Rostov the Great) [first mentioned in chronicles in 862, located on the shore of Lake Nero] Yaroslavl [founded in 1010 on the Volga River by Yaroslav the Wise son of the Kievan Prince Vladimir] Kostroma [founded in the 12th century on the Volga River by Yury Dolgoruky] Pereslavl Zalessky [founded in 1152 on the river Trubezh] Uglich [founded in 937 on the Upper Volga] Novgorod [first mentioned in 859, located in the Priilmenskaya Lowland, on the River Volkhov] GZHEL 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. The history of Gzhel porcelain began in the seventeeth century. The pocelain took the name 'Gzhel' after the village Gzhel which is situated in Moscow gerion. The first documentary evidence about the village dates back to the 1339 ecclesiastical charter of the Russian tzar Ivan Kalita. There, at the distance of 60 km from Moscow people had been long engaged in pottery. Archaeological discoveries confirm the existence of pottery on Gzhel territory since the beginning of the fourteenth century. Gzhel crafters have always made not only table-ware, but also small genre sculpture. These works depicted animals and people in action. From time to time entire scenes of rural or urban life were depicted in such sculptures. For example: traditional tea-drinking, beauties walking or sitting at work, hens, roosters, birds and so on. All works have a uniting feature - hand-made fancy blue painting on white background. They are all truly hand-made! The artist paints every cup or vase with a brush. That is why there are no two similar works, each one being really unique and keeping the style of its creator. Gzhel craftsmen are true artists that join talent and centuries-old experience of their predecessors. However, hand-made works are labour-intensive. They always come in small numbers, which often cannot meet the demand. Even in Russia not many people have Gzhel ware; and collectors are very proud of their collections. The original ware has the hallmark 'Gzhel' which confirms its authenticity and quality. All Gzhel works are created in plaster forms being cast from liquid porcelain mass. After the first burning the form is painted by cobalt. Usually the background stays white. Then painting is covered by glaze. Glaze fuses and makes the surface of the work glassy, giving cobalt its blue colour. Ornaments of gzhel items are normally based on plants and flowers (roses are the most widely distributed kinds of gzhel patterns). Modern Gzhel art is charming, cheerful and original. It soaks up the beauty of Russian nature and reserved, strong and expressive spirit of Russian people. Today Gzhel is going through its golden age. There appear magnificent works with their mysterious dark blue shades floating through the light field. Fabulous patterns, garlands, free touches coupled with subtle drawings - all of this makes Gzhel ware original, decorative and attractive.

'Golden Ring of Russia' (set 2) $219.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 5-7 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the largest one is signed by artist. The doll displays gorgeous cathedrals of Moscow, Sergiev Posad, Vladimir, Suzdal, Rostov Veliky, Yaroslavl, Kostroma and Uglich.

'Ivan Kupala Celebration' $219.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 5-7 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the largest one is signed by artist. IVAN KUPALA CELEBRATION Ivan Kupala Day is celebrated in Russia on 7 July. Up to the present day Ivan Kupala (this was the way that the old Russians called John the Baptist) Day or Day of Ivan is considered one of the most expressive Russian folk holidays. Many rites of this holiday are connected with water. As is the case in certain regions - not in villages only, but also in large cities - even nowadays youth spray water on each other (out of bottles, water-guns and even buckets) on this day (if it happens to be a hot one, of course). Often young men use this occasion to gain attention of beautiful young ladies. Their ancestors, however, paid a special attention to cleansing fires. They would gather around fires to watch it, dance around it and jump through it (believing that it 'cleanses from all sin').

'Lace. Gzhel Style' $98.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the largest one is signed by artist. Both the flower decore on the dolls' bellies and the backs of each doll in this set are painted in the world-famous Gzhel style.

'Little Humpbacked Horse' (set 1) $149.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the largest one is signed by artist. HUMPBACKED LITTLE PONY by Yershov Once upon a time, in a land far away, Ivan was returning home with three horses that he had just purchased. Two of the horses were magnificent stallions, strong and fast. But the third horse was crippled and hunchbacked. The next day Ivan woke up and went outside to care for his new horses, but when he opened the stable doors he discovered that his two stallions had been stolen. Only the Little Humpbacked Horse remained. Soon however, the little horse began to display amazing magical powers. He could fly and change his appearance. Ivan grew to admire and love his Little Humpbacked Horse greatly. The little horse enjoyed fame all throughout the kingdom as travelers came from miles around to see him. The Little Humpbacked Horse became so famous that even the old Tsar was interested in seeing him. As soon as the Tsar saw what incredible powers that the magic horse had he ordered Ivan to have the horse employed in the Tsar's service. The Tsar became increasingly greedy with his demands on the little horse. The animal was enlisted by the Tsar to catch the elusive Fire Bird, and to fly to the Palace of the Moon. Then the Tsar ordered that the magic horse should find the beautiful Maiden Queen and bring her to the Tsar to become his wife. The Little Humpbacked Horse was of course successful in finding the Maiden Queen, but the beautiful girl was not at all pleased with the advances of the old and greedy Tsar. She was actually more interested in Ivan, who had already fallen in love with her. To win her over, the Maiden Queen demanded that the Tsar would have to perform a special task to turn himself into a desirable young man. He would have to first jump into a cauldron of cold water, then into one of boiling water, and last into one of boiling milk. The Tsar first ordered Ivan to test the system. So Ivan, protected by his faithful horse, plunged into each cauldron and emerged from the third a vibrant and handsome man. Having seen Ivan's success the Tsar quickly undressed and jumped into the cold water. Then he jumped into the second cauldron in which he was promptly boiled alive. Soon after the Tsar's death Ivan and the Maiden Queen were married, and they lived with their Little Humpbacked Horse happily ever after.

'Little Humpbacked Horse' (set 2) $97.49 Size: a approx. 5.6' Metric: a 14 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Maidan' 10 pc Matryoshka $54.45 - reduced price $35.49 Size: a approx. 10' Metric: a 25 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-8 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 2-3 layers of crystal clear lacquer. 'MAIDANOVSKAYA' or MAIDAN MATRYOSHKA 'Maidanovskaya' is a Russian adjective that stands for 'that of Maidan', or - to be more precise - 'that of Polkhov-Maidan', a small village in Nizhny Novgorod province that greatly contributed to matryoshka history. Olga Litvina in her article 'About Matryoshka' writes: The end of the XIXth century brought with it a real 'matryoshka boom'. To satisfy the unexpected demand, new manufacturers emerged on the market. In less than a few years, almost the whole city of Sergiev Posad was painting matryoshkas. This city was the place that had both multitudes of experienced wood turners and the excellent raw material: birch and lime trees. The painting was done by family cartels, where even children and old people took part in the process. As a rule, Russian matryoshkas depicted young ladies in Russian sarafans [peasant woman's dress] and shawls, holding baskets, flowers, bread-and-salt [traditional Russian sign of hospitality], etc. Matryoshkas gained considerable popularity abroad and in the beginning of the XXth century Russia started exporting the dolls in large quantities. Matryoshka business turned out to be so profitable that a number of other matryoshka-making centers have appeared soon after the mass export has begun. The largest were based in the city of Semenov of Nizhnii Novgorod province and in the village of Polkhov-Maidan. Moreover, this was the time when first western counterfeits appeared on the market. A number of German companies, for example, were turning and painting their own nesting dolls, selling them as Russian matryoshkas. Even though nowadays one can find matryoshkas of various unusual shapes - ball- or cone-shaped, in forms of boxes and bottle-holders - figurines imitating woman's body still remain the most popular ones. As a rule Sergiev Posad dolls are, however, wider and smaller than the Semenov-turned ones. This nesting doll is an authentic example of a Polkhov-Maidan style of matryoshka painting. Handmade in Polkhov-Maidan it features the characteristic bright flowers and colorful scarves. Nowadays, Polkhov-Maidan keeps creating a natural competition for Semenov and Sergiev Posad matryoshkas.

'Majestic Cathedrals of Russia' $154.95 Size: approx. 9' Metric: 22-23 cm Consists of: 10 pieces Finish: glossy (lacquer) Availability: ships within 10-12 business days  As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the tallest one is signed by artist.

'Maslenitsa' $229.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 5-7 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the largest one is signed by artist. SHROVETIDE Russian Shrovetide (Maslenitsa) is an ancient festival dating from pagan times. At first, it was a festival dedicated to the God Volos to celebrate the arrival of spring and the start of work on the land. This festival, originating in people's worship of nature, included various rituals (burning of a straw effigy of Winter, lightening of fires, leaving of festival food on the ancestors' graves, etc) and feasts, the main dish at which was blini. Blini (very similar to thin large pancakes) were made from a thin batter, and they were round and golden like the sun. Later, the Orthodox Church included Shrovetide into the list of its own festivals. Shrovetide had lost its ritual significance and became a purely symbolic festival of seeing off winter and welcoming spring. Blini, on the other hand, are so popular in Russia even nowadays that people make them all year around.

'Morozko' $85.49 Size: a approx. 10' Metric: a 25 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a matte Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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 is made using a woodburning technique in combination with a beautiful golden metal incrustation. MOROZKO (FATHER FROST) (Russian Fairy Tale) Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a husband with his second wife. From each of their first marriages they each had a daughter. The wife's daughter was spoiled and mean, whereas the husband's daughter was very gentle and kind. The wife only loved her daughter, and made the other girl work very hard. The poor girl cleaned and cooked for the wife, and was often beaten as the wife's hatred for her grew. One day, in the middle of a terrible winter, the wife decided that the girl should be taken deep into the woods and left there to die. The husband of course did not want to agree to this, but he himself was also afraid of the woman. So he reluctantly took his daughter into the forest where he left her. The girl sat helpless and alone under a tree. Soon she heard the breaking and snapping of twigs and branches, and then a voice spoke. 'Are you warm my child?' it said. The girl recognized the ominous voice as that of Father Frost and replied, 'Yes Father Frost, I'm quite warm.' Father Frost repeated his question several times, each time coming closer to the girl. The girl always answered that she was warm, and then thanked him. Feeling pity for the poor creature, Father Frost wrapped her in a beautiful coat, showered her with gifts, and kept her warm throughout the night. Returning the next day to retrieve his daughter's body, the husband was happily surprised to find her not only alive, but dressed warmly and covered with riches. Upon their return home, the jealous wife then insisted that her own daughter be left in the forest overnight, hoping that she too would return wealthy. Again the husband drove deep into the woods, this time leaving his stepdaughter there. As the night grew long she too heard the voice of Father Frost. 'Are you warm my child?' he asked. The girl was annoyed with his question and replied, 'Of course not, now leave me alone!' Father Frost was enraged with her reply and sent the coldest frost that there had ever been. When the husband drove into the woods the next day, he returned not with the girl showered in riches, but with her cold frozen body instead. Upon his return home he took his daughter and left his evil wife. The husband and his daughter lived happily ever after.

'Nutcracker' $147.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the largest one is signed by artist. THE NUTCRACKER (originally based on a story written by German writer ETA Hoffman) It's Christmas at the Stahlbaum home. There' s a huge tree, and many guests arrive to celebrate with the family. Clara's godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer, makes magical toys. He entertains the guests with two life-sized dolls that dance around the room. Then he gives gifts to the children, and gives Clara a very special gift of a nutcracker. Her brother, Fritz, is jealous, and grabs the nutcracker and it gets broken! Clara is very upset, so Herr Drosselmeyer repairs the doll before handing it back to her... Soon after, all the guests leave and the children go to bed. Clara gets up in the night and goes downstairs to get her nutcracker from under the tree. She falls asleep there, and is transported into Christmas fantasy where her nutcracker has grown to the size of a human. When the Mouse King attacks, the Nutcracker Prince tries to valiantly defend young Clara, but is struck down in the battle. Clara in turn saves her Nutcracker Prince by throwing her shoe at the Mouse King and defeating him. With the nasty Mouse King out of the way, Clara runs to the Nutcracker Prince. When she kisses him, he turns into a human! Then she and her Prince are whisked away through the Enchanted Forest, where they see dancing snowflakes and other wonders. Then they travel further to the Kingdom of the Sweets.

'Orthodox Cathedrals' $128.95 Gorgeous hand-made 10 piece nesting doll with the Orthodox cathedrals of Russia. 5 layers of lacquer. Fine work.

'Quadrille' $89.54 Size: a approx. 6.4' Metric: a 16 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer. QUADRILLE Early in the 19th century people began their dances much earlier. On holidays, they began at two in the afternoon and danced until daybreak. No one seemed bothered by the prospect of another hard day at the plow or churn. As immigrants and travelers arrived on the U.S. shores they brought with them goods, new from 'home' and the popular dances of the day. Foremost of these was the French Quadrille. It began in the French Court ballet, caught on like wildfire, jumped the channel, and after becoming well-established in the British Isles, found its way to America in the mid-19th century. It has been in gradual evolution ever since. For the first time a 'prompter' was used. Not a caller yet, but someone other than a dancer to indicate what was coming next. As the name Quadrille implies, it is a drill done in a quadrangle formation. This has not changed, but it is surprising how many of the original movements have also remained unchanged. Quadrilles were originally divided into five sections with four brief breaks to catch breath and flirt a bit. That was then reduced to three sections. The least experienced couples would take the side positions and have an opportunity to watch the first as the prompter called a series of 'changes' for the head couples. The sides, then did a carbon copy of that. In Russia - where Quadrille was brought in the end of the 19th century - it was one of the most popular aristocratic dances. With time it has become a true folk dance (known under different names: e.g. Russian Quadrille, Ukrainian Quadrille, Byelorussian Quadrille, etc).

'Ruslan & Ludmila' $154.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the largest one is signed by artist. The whole set displays minuatures painted according to the famous Pushkin's fairy tale 'Ruslan and Ludmila'. RUSLAN & LUDMILA (Short Summary) A favorite among Russian tales, Ruslan and Ludmila was written in poetic form by Russia's most beloved writer, Alexander Pushkin. It was later the basis of Glinka's most successful opera. Here is a brief synopsis of the story, below which is a translation of the full text. Once upon a time, in a land far away there was a great feast celebrating the marriage of the land's greatest warrior, Ruslan, to the land's most beautiful maiden, Ludmila. But tragedy happened upon the feast when the bride was kidnapped by the dwarf magician Chernomor. Enraged, Ludmila's father declared that only the warrior who rescues his daughter would be her husband. Ruslan and his rivals Farlaf, Ratmir, and Rogdai prepared to rescue the beautiful girl. Only Ruslan understood that he would have to overcome great feats and magical powers to rescue his bride. Rogdai killed Ratmir and then attacked Ruslan. But Ruslan won the fight, and threw Rogdai into the River Dnieper. Ruslan wandered further into the unknown where he entered a thick fog and came upon a giant magic head. Underneath the head was a knife, which he knew he must retrieve. Ruslan defeated the head and took the knife. He then was able to defeat Chernomor. He used this knife to cut off the dwarf's beard, thus having diminished the dwarf's magical powers. Having defeated Chernomor, Ruslan found his bride in a magical garden, he rescued Ludmila and took her back to the feast where they were finally married.

'Russian Girls in Red Dresses' $74.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer. RUSSIAN BEAUTY What is a typical old Russian conception of woman's beauty? The ideal of a beautiful woman was considered to be a tall, strong and stately woman with red cheeks, blue eyes and blonde hair. Such women were well-represented by the renowned Russian painter, Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev. Such woman's beauty was also taken as a starting point for original matryoshka making. In provincial Russia before the revolution the name Matryona or Matriyosha was a very popular female name. It was derived from the Latin root 'mater' which means 'mother'. This name was associated with the image of a mother of a big family who was very healthy and had a portly figure. Subsequently, it became a symbolic name and was used specially to describe brightly painted wooden dolls made in such a way that they could be taken apart to reveal smaller dolls fitting inside on another. The first nesting dolls of Sergiev Posad portrayed this special beauty: young girls dressed in Russian sarafans carrying baskets, scythes, bunches of flowers or dressed in winter short fur coats and scarves. The nesting doll before you is another great example of Russian beauty reflected in a matryoshka doll.

'Russian Girls with Braids' $44.59 Size: approx. 6.4' Metric: 16 cm Consists of: 10 pieces Finish: glossy (lacquer) Availability: ships within 5-10 business days  As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Russian Lace' $86.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Russian Landscapes' $54.45 Size: approx. 6.4' Metric: 16 cm Consists of: 10 pieces Finish: glossy (lacquer) Availability: ships within 5-10 business days  As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, displaying miniature paintings of beautiful Russian landscapes. The tallest doll is signed by the artist.

'Russian Quadrille' $89.54 Size: approx. 6.4' Metric: 16 cm Consists of: 10 pieces Finish: glossy (lacquer) Availability: ships within 5-10 business days  Product Details As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Russian Seasons' $54.45 Size: a approx. 7' Metric: a 17.5 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, displaying beautiful Russian landscapes at different times of year. The tallest doll is signed by artist.

'Russian Winter' $139.95 Size: approx. 8' Metric: 20 cm Consists of: 7 pieces Finish: glossy (lacquer) Availability: ships within 5-10 business days  a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It was handturned from linden wood and then handpainted by a professional nesting doll artist in the old City of Vladimir. It is a typical nesting doll, and each smaller piece of the set fits into the next larger one. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, displaying beautiful scenes of traditional Russian winter. The tallest doll is signed by the artist.

'Scarlet Flower' (set 1) $144.95 Size: approx. 10' Metric: 25 cm Consists of: 10 pieces Finish: glossy (lacquer) Availability: ships within 7-12 business days  a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. This particular one is made in the city of Vladimir. It is first handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, displaying beautiful miniatures from the famous 'Scarlet Flower' fairy tale.

'Scarlet Flower' (set 2) $164.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the largest one is signed by artist.

'Seasons' $95.49 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, displaying beautiful Russian landscapes at different times of year. The tallest doll is signed by artist.

'Semenov' 10 pc Matryoshka $60.95 - reduced price $41.45 Size: approx. 9' Metric: 22.5 cm Consists of: 10 pieces Finish: glossy (lacquer) Availability: ships within 5-10 business days  Product Details As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia.

'Semenov' 10 pc Matryoshka (red) $87.95 Size: approx. 9.6' Metric: 24 cm Consists of: 10 pieces Finish: glossy (lacquer) Availability: ships within 5-10 business days  Product Details As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia.

'Sergiev Posad. Monastery' $179.95 Size: approx. 9' Metric: 22-23 cm Consists of: 10 pieces Finish: glossy (lacquer) Availability: ships within 7-12 business days  As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 5-7 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the largest one is signed by artist. Each doll in this beautiful 10 pc set contains a picture of one of the towers or cathedrals of the world-famous Sergiev Posad Monastery. Read the story of the monastery below. SERGIEV POSAD (renamed in 1991) ZAGORSK (since 1930) Population: 115,500 (1992) Location: the south of Smolensk-Moscow Hills Foundation: 1345 by Sergius of Radonezh There is an Art Museum and a Museum of Ancient History here. It is a splendid architectural monument of Russian architecture and art, of old Russian painting. The monastery at Sergiev Posad was also a fortress, and during the war with Polish invaders it has withstood a 16-month siege. There are eleven towers in the monastery, two of them with entrance gates. The names of the towers are: the Pyatnitskaya, the Vodyanaya, the Plotnichya, the Utichya, the Red and others. An extremely old Trinity Cathedral is also located here. It was erected in 1422, the year its founder, Sergius of Radonezh, was canonized. In 1744, the monastery became a monastery of the first rank - lavra. Sergiev Posad also has its own Museum of Toys, which was opened in 1918 in Moscow and was later transferred to Sergiev Posad, the birthplace of Russian matryoshka.

'Shakespeare's Sonnets' $158.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the tallest one is signed by artist. SHAKESPEARE'S SONNETS Assist me some extemporal god of rhyme, for I am sure I shall turn sonneter. Devise, wit, write, pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio. William Shakespeare - 'LoveÆs LabourÆs Lost' The English Sonnet is a poem form consisting of 14 lines, each with ten stressed and unstressed syllables known as iambic pentameter, with a set rhyme scheme of: a b a b c d c d e f e f g g. The rhymes may be ear-rhymes or eye-rhymes: an ear-rhyme is one that rhymes in sound, e.g. ôincreaseö and ôdecreaseö; an eye-rhyme is one that rhymes by sight, e.g. ôcompareö and ôareö. This rhyme sequence sets the usual structure of the sonnet as three quatrains (sets of four lines) concluding with 1 couplet (a pair of lines). It is usual for there to be a pause for thought in the sonnetÆs message at the end of each quatrain, especially the 2nd., in order to add tension, with the sonnet resolving to its objective in the final couplet, just as a song normally resolves to its root chord at its close. To convey the sense of resolution and completeness at the end of the sonnet there are often key-words, or tie-words, present in the closing couplet that are also present in the earlier quatrains. This structuring provides a framework on which to build the words, phrases, themes, rhymes, syncopation, punctuation and rhythm of the sonnet making it, at its best, a self-contained work of art. Having established this structure though, the author can then go on to breach the framework to add tension and meaning: A quatrain will not necessarily comprise a full sentence - instead a quatrain may contain more than one sentence or a sentence may straddle more than one quatrain, sometimes extending across the whole sonnet giving a breathlessness to the sonnet. Sentences may end mid-line adding tension and dysfunction to complement the message of the sonnet. Key-words may be deliberately absent from certain quatrains where they donÆt belong with the sentiments of that particular quatrain, emphasising the meaning the author wishes to convey by literally being absent. In this way, the sonnet can convey meaning and mood via compliance with the standard sonnet structure, or by deliberately venturing outside of that framework, depending on the effect required. The sonnet was introduced to England by Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-42) following his various European diplomatic positions, including Italy, in the court of Henry VIII. The form was then developed by Henry Surrey (1517-47) and became very popular with several Elizabethan sonneteers, particularly during the 1590Æs, among them Shakespeare. The sonnet form pre-dates this period by over 200 years though with Petrarch being its pre-eminent exponent. Petrarch centred his sonnets on a series of themes comprising: Love, Chastity, Death, Fame, Time and Eternity and it is clear that these themes were used by Elizabethan sonneteers as the model for many examples of their works. Shakespeare especially wrote many sonnets that have the Petrarchan themes of Time and Death at their centre and he even goes so far as to spoof Petrarchan sentiments in Sonnet 130. Equally, in this ôGolden Ageö of the English Renaissance, poets were inspired and influenced by their peersÆ works and there are evident examples of close correlation such as between some of ConstableÆs and ShakespeareÆs works. Many of the sonnets are clearly personal but some may have been written on behalf of other people as part of a commission. It is important to bear all these extraneous factors in mind when looking for autobiographical clues in the works. ShakespeareÆs sonnets are known to have been circulated amongst ôhis private friendsö and sent to his patron before a collection of 154 were published in the 1609 Quarto. It is not known whether the 1609 publication comprises all the sonnets he wrote but it is likely that it does not. The sequence in which they were published is also not necessarily completely chronological and there is good reason to believe from the style, method and content that they are not û Sonnet 77, for example, fits well with the 1-17 sequence, and 145Æs style and content suggests it is an earlier example. The decline in popularity of sonneteering after the burst of activity during the 1590Æs probably accounts for the modest sales of ShakespeareÆs sonnets in 1609. Many of the sonnets are intensely personal divulging carnal interests and indulgences that suggest that they may not have been intended for public consumption. Others are deeply emotional, disclosing the authorÆs most private feelings and emotions that, again, may have been intended as private exercises. There are also a few compositional variances such as in 146 which lacks a word on the second line, 99 which has an extra line at the start of the first quatrain to take the standard 14-line sonnet to 15 lines, and 126 that has 12 lines instead of 14. For these reasons, it is believed that Shakespeare was not involved in their publication and that they may have even been published without his knowledge or consent. Conversely, there does appear to be significant form and meaning to the sonnetsÆ composition that one might not expect from a compiler other than the author: all the Dark Lady sonnets are not listed together for example; instead a couple are together followed by a diversion to a different subject before returning again to the Dark Lady. Additionally, there is no revelation anywhere of the identity of the subjects of the sonnets (apart from Anne Hathaway) as though they are deliberately kept anonymous. This suggests a careful and attentive hand in the sonnetsÆ compilation and sequencing which I discuss in greater detail here. The first 17 of ShakespeareÆs 154 sonnets have been traditionally believed to be addressed to a young and beautiful man of social status - the gender of the subject is clear from several of the sonnets in the series. They are all concerned with encouraging the subject to marry and have children to reproduce his beauty and they achieve this with various direct and metaphorical pleas. There have been various suggestions as to who the subject is, the most convincing being either the Earl of Pembroke or the Earl of Southampton, but Sir Robert Dudley (1574-1649) who was the Duke of Northumberland and son of the Earl of Leicester is a compelling candidate too. The next 109 sonnets (18-126) cover a wide variety of personal subjects and Petrarchan themes and include his very best examples, but a distinct series (78-89) concern The Rival Poet and the apparent demise of ShakespeareÆs relationship with his patron. This is a period of high anxiety for Shakespeare that he handles with remarkable self-effacement. It is worth commenting that this 109 sonnet sub-sequence just pips SidneyÆs famous sequence of 108 sonnets called ôAstrophil and Stellaö published in 1591 that was the principal cause of sonnet writingsÆ popularity during the 1590Æs. Sonnets 127-133 and 147-152 cover the subject of The Dark Lady û a beautiful negro woman by whom the author experiences wildly different emotions of lust and self-loathing. The remainder of the sonnets are a mixture of autobiography and emotion ending with 2 almost throw-away standards that are distinct from the rest, inspired by an anthology of Greek poetry known variously as the Greek Anthology or Palatine Anthology.

'Shrovetide' $77.79 Size: a approx. 8.8' Metric: a 22 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Sleeping Princess' $104.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer. THE STORY OF THE SLEEPING PRINCESS (Russian Fairy-Tale) Once upon a time in a land far-far away an evil queen sat with her magic mirror in her hand. She was appalled when this mirror revealed to her that she was no longer the most beautiful in all the land, but that a young princess was instead. In her rage, the evil queen ordered that the princess be led deep into the forest, and then be killed. However, the old woman assigned the grim task of leading the beautiful girl astray took pity upon her intended victim, and left her in the forest without killing her. In the forest the princess found shelter with seven 'bogatrys'(warriors), and she lived there very happily. She had no idea that back in the castle the wicked queen's magic mirror had told her the secret of the girl's whereabouts, and that the queen had made plans to ensure that the princess would not once again escape her wrath. One day the beautiful princess was approached by a seemingly harmless old woman who offered her a delicious red apple. The naive princess never suspected that it was the evil queen in disguise, and gladly took the apple, whereupon her first bite she fell into a deep, seemingly irreversible sleep. All hope was not to be lost. Far away the great Prince Yelesei had heard of the fate befallen his love, and set out to break this spell which had cast her into such a deep sleep. He rode on his horse, inquiring the moon, the wind, and the sun, as to where his princess could be found. He finally found her sleeping body encased in a crystal tomb. Smashing the tomb with his sword, he broke the evil spell, and the princess awoke. They lived happily ever after. The evil queen however, did not. She died of grief as soon as her mirror revealed to her that the princess would live happily ever after.

'Special Memories of St. Petersburg' $138.95 Outstanding 10 piece nesting doll with the views of St. Petersburg and its environs. Precious memories embodied. Must have for anyone who loves St. Petersburg, the Imperial capital of Russia. 5 layers of lacquer coating. Finest detail. Imported from Russia.

'Splendor of Cathedrals' $138.95 Famous cathedrals of Russia in all their splendor displayed on this 10 piece hand-made nesting doll. Fine detail. Superb quality. 5 layers of lacquer coating.

'St. Petersburg & Its Environs' $138.95 Size: approx. 10' Metric: 25 cm Consists of: 10 pieces Finish: glossy (lacquer) Availability: ships within 7-12 business days  a As all of our nesting dolls, this gorgeous and truly unique 'St. Petersburg & Its Environs' nesting doll is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 5-7 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the largest one is signed by artist. The set portrays the following views of St. Petersburg and its environs (residences of Russian tsars & emperors): Doll 1 - St. Isaac's Cathedral (St. Peterburg, Russia) Doll 2 - Nikolo-Bogoyavlensky Naval Cathedral (St. Peterburg, Russia) Doll 3 - Palace of Emperor Paul I (Pavlovsk, Russia) Doll 4 - Kunstkamera's view through the raised spans of the Palace Bridge (St. Peterburg, Russia) Doll 5 - Alexander Nevsky Lavra (St. Peterburg, Russia) Doll 6 - Winter Palace (aka The Hermitage) (St. Peterburg, Russia) Doll 7 - Catherine's Palace (Tsarskoe Selo/Pushkin, St Petersburg) Doll 8 - Peter and Paul Fortress (St. Petersburg, Russia) Doll 9 - Squeaking Pavilion (Tsarskoe Selo/Pushkin, St Petersburg) Doll 10 - Alexander Nevsky Lavra (St. Peterburg, Russia)

'Summer Bouquet' $58.95 Size: a approx. 4.8' Metric: a 12 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer. SUMMER BOUQUET Want to send a cheerful message? The bright and playful flowers on the bellies of these 'Summer Bouquet' nesting dolls are sure to bring a smile to your recipient's face. This rich, loveliest flower design will definitely remind the possessor of this nesting doll of the gorgeous Russian summer: so short in many parts of Russia, and because of this - all the more unforgettable...

'Summer Celebrations' $141.95 Size: a approx. 10' Metric: a 25 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. This particular one is made in the city of Vladimir. It is first handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Tender Flowers' $72.95 Size: a approx. 6.4' Metric: a 16 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Teremok' Fairy Tale $63.49 Size: a approx. 6.4' Metric: a 16 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, displaying pictures based on the famous 'Teremok' fairy tale. TEREMOK [Little 'Terem'/House] (Russian fairy tale ) There was a little house in the field. A little Mouse passed by and asked there is anybody in. No one answered and Mouse came in and began to live there. Soon a Frog passed by the house, and asked Mouse to live together. Mouse agreed. A Hair, a Fox and a Wolf also came to the house. So they lived together: Mouse, Frog, Hair, Fox and Wolf. Once upon a time a big Bear passed by. He also asked housekeepers to let him come in. But the house was too small for Bear, so he sat on the roof. The house rattled and collapsed. Mouse, Frog, Hair, Fox, Wolf and Bear began to build a new house, made it better and bigger that previous one and lived there happily.

'The Holy Places of Russia' $129.95 Cathedrals and churches of Russia an a majestic 10 piece hand-made nesting dolls. Must have for any Christian and/or Russophil. Finest quality. 5 layer lacquer coating.

'Tiniest Doll' (black) $28.95 Size: a approx. 2.4' Metric: a 6 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Tiniest Doll' (blue) $28.95 Size: a approx. 2.4' Metric: a 6 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Tiniest Doll' (red) $28.95 Size: a approx. 2.4' Metric: a 6 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Tiny Doll' (under 2 inches) $21.95 Size: a approx. 1.95 inches Metric: a 5 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Vologda Lady' $86.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the tallest one is signed by artist.

'Winter' $60.95 Size: a approx. 7' Metric: a 17.5 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a matte Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll has a tender matte finish, displaying beautiful scenes of traditional Russian winter on them.

'Winter Celebrations' $148.95 Size: approx. 10' Metric: 25 cm Consists of: 10 pieces Finish: glossy (lacquer) Availability: ships within 7-12 business days  As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. This particular one is made in the city of Vladimir. It is first handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Winter Friends' $144.95 Size: approx. 10' Metric: 25 cm Consists of: 10 pieces Finish: glossy (lacquer) Availability: ships within 7-12 business days  Product Details As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. This particular one is made in the city of Vladimir. It is first handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, displaying beautiful scenes of traditional Russian winter.

'Winter Holidays' $59.95 Size: a approx. 10' Metric: a 25 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Winter in the Village' $147.95 Size: a approx. 10' Metric: a 25 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. This particular one is made in the city of Vladimir. It is first handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, displaying beautiful scenes of traditional Russian winter.

'Winter Princess' $86.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the largest one is signed by artist. Both the flower decore on the dolls' bellies and the scarves of each doll in this set are painted in the world-famous Gzhel style.

'Winter Scenes' $92.95 Size: a approx. 9' Metric: a 22-23 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 7-12 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, displaying beautiful scenes of traditional Russian winter.

'Winter Stories' $151.95 Size: approx. 10' Metric: 25 cm Consists of: 10 pieces Finish: glossy (lacquer) Availability: ships within 7-12 business days  Product Details As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. This particular one is made in the city of Vladimir. It is first handturned from linden wood and then handpainted 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, displaying beautiful scenes of traditional Russian winter.

'Zhostovo Bouquet' (set 1) $43.95 Size: a approx. 6.4' Metric: a 16 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted in a traditional Zhostovo style 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Zhostovo Bouquet' (set 2) $48.95 Size: a approx. 6.4' Metric: a 16 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted in a traditional Zhostovo style 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Zhostovo Bouquet' (set 3) $51.95 Size: a approx. 6.4' Metric: a 16 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted in a traditional Zhostovo style 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

'Zhostovo Bouquet' (set 4) $55.95 Size: a approx. 6.4' Metric: a 16 cm Consists of: a 10 pieces Finish: a glossy (lacquer) Availability: a ships within 5-10 business days Origin: a Russian Federation Product Details a As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted in a traditional Zhostovo style 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. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer.

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