Staggering Fedoskino Papier Mache Box

Although the following history is the same as the other Lacquer Boxes in my store, scroll down to the paragraph break for product-specific description.

Some of you might be familiar with these stunning Russian boxes, but few know the story of their origins. It actually began over 200 years ago...
It began in a town called Fedoskino, from which our box hails. They began developing the techniques that would spawn Russian lacquer boxes in the late 1600s. Fedoskino was the center of the art of creating religious icons (highly-sought-after paintings of religious symbols and characters). Having developed some truly breathtaking painting techniques (including using liquified precious metals such as gold and silver and painting with a single hair follicle for some of the most spectacular detail I've ever come across), it was the natural birthplace of these stunningly intricate boxes. Starting in the 1800s, they were made specifically of a papier-mâché base - a method that has yet to be replicated, world-wide. This would take approximately 6 weeks to complete and would include a base of linseed oil, rendering it impervious to moisture. This method also ensured a stable base that would not warp and does not change size due to temperature changes. Then, the painting process would begin. First, it passes through the hands of an apprentice who ensures a smooth base of colour - the interior is painted bright red and the exterior a deep black. When, however, the masters get their hands on these pieces, the magic begins. Using a magnifying glass, in many cases, and the richest and brightest pigments available, the master painter applies the stunning colours and textures you see here. The signature along the bottom and the border design are the obvious places where we can see gold, but if you look closely, you can see the sparing application of precious metals throughout the piece. Silver is used sparingly in the branches and some of the snow. Normally, there would be more silver and gold accents, but I believe the artist wanted the pearl to really stand out - more on that later. The detail is just staggering. To complete the history of these remarkable boxes, in the 1800s, 4 towns emerged as the leaders of papier-mâché lacquer boxes, each of which specialized in their own methods and styles. As such, one can tell these pieces apart based on their colours and textures, as well as the methods of applying these magnificent pigments. Kholui, Palekh, Fedoskino and Mstyora are the 4 towns in question and they still produce these stunning pieces, although after the fall of the USSR in 1991, their quality waned due to some unscrupulous profit-hunting. The popularity of these boxes had skyrocketed with international recognition and, naturally and most-unfortunately, resulted a ton of counterfeits and fakes, as well as lower-quality paints and constructions. Luckily, manufacturers of fake pieces are not patient, so the box itself doesn't go through the rigours of proper papier-mâché manufacture. The fakes are made of plastic or resin, so they're easily identified. Firstly, one can find a slight grid pattern on the base, indicating a machine-made box. As well, the authentic linseed oil base would start to settle after 6 months or so, releasing a distinct odour, so the interior has a definite 'antique' smell to it, nearly impossible to replicate with a resin box. The weight of the fake boxes would be significantly heavier, as well - papier-mâché is very light. The texture of the box would easily reveal the content, as well. One must simply tap or flick the bottom of the box. If there's a sharp sound or a click, it's not the genuine article. Papier-mâché boxes sound muted, almost soft, when tapped. Lastly and most-importantly, we must examine the image itself. Is there the depth that comes with layers of meticulous application of lacquer and pigment? It's quite easy to see when an image has been created by a decades-old trained and tried master versus the hand of a counterfeiter or lower-echelon crafter. A magnifying glass is very useful in finding these imperfections and identifying a fake or sub-par creation. Even among these reputable artistic communities, there are classes of boxes, ranging from an almost amateurish to the truly spectacular. With all C&K Russian lacquer pieces, you can be assured that only the upper-crust has been hand-chosen by an educated and fastidious eye. Luckily, our piece checks all the right boxes and its originality and provenance is not in question. C&K is proud to have a history of importation, by my family, over the last half-century.

This piece was one of the last my grandfather imported prior to his retirement and I'm proud to say he was a personal friend of the family of artisans responsible for this stunning box. Along the bottom, in silver pigment, is written the town and year of completion, "Fedoskino '99," as well as the name of the master, "M. Nikimin." Along the border, as well as along the outside of the box are drawn beautiful, golden borders. These are applied, by hand, using a brush containing sparsely more than a few squirrel hair follicles and molten gold pigments, to frame the spectacular scene and give the sides a handsome element of character and colour.
The artistic merit of the piece is not in question, nor are the origins of this stunning, hinged box, but what is the picture and most importantly, what is that beautiful splash of colour in the water?...
The piece is a simple yet hauntingly beautiful winter sunset. The sky is a deep grey, containing the clouds of a typical Russian winter, yet also contains a subtle and quite deliberate splash of colour, as it fades to a clearer evening sky, to the left. The attention to detail with regards to the colours, the gentle mixture of the purest white and silver to show an almost ethereal snow resting upon distant birch tree branches... it's simply stunning.
I'd like to discuss the reflected sunset in the river water... I had seldom seen this technique before as it's exceedingly rare. If you look carefully (although I have attempted to show this in the photos, the effect is much more evident in the video), the water seems to shimmer in the light. This piece is - I kid you not - Pearl! Despite the incredible delicacy of flakes of pearl, this impressive section was added and blended into the scene to artistically show a beautiful sunset. It's truly a remarkable piece of craft and you'd be hard-pressed to find its equal.
Luckily, this piece is only 26 years young and, as such, hasn't had any time to suffer the ravages of age or careless hands... at least on the top surface. The top and sides are, for lack of a better term, perfect. If you look VERY closely, you might see the slight crease that shows the edges of the pearl insert, but this is exceedingly difficult to notice, even under intense light - a further testament to the talent of these master painters. The bottom, however, is not as perfect. When my grandfather moved into a long-term care home, some of his effects were not treated with the kindness they deserved. As such, there are 2 small knicks to the lacquer, on the base, coupled with a few small, superficial scratches. Even so, they hardly detract from the breathtaking scene or function of this piece. It measures just shy of 9cm in width, just over 3cm in height and 10cm in depth. The hinge is very solid, as one would expect from the construction of these staggering piece of art. It would make a beautiful addition to any collector, or a wonderful gift for anyone who appreciates truly masterful artistry.

As always, should you have any questions or comments, I'm always happy to return messages almost immediately.
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