
The dolls are handmade and signed, and dated by the artist, adding to their uniqueness and authenticity. They are a perfect representation of the Russian culture and make a great collectible item for those interested in ethnic and cultural artifacts. Add this stunning set of nesting dolls to your collection today! I bought this matryoshka set at a local yard sale sometime in the mid-00s. Petersburg, I believe in the early-90's.
There are nine dolls done in a traditional style, depicting the women of a single family. Each doll is unique having the same eye and hair color, but all having a set of unique characteristics that make this set a cut above most you see on the market. Each doll has a different bonnet and dress, and each bonnet and dress has a different color and floral pattern (and each doll has a different pattern for the top, mid, and bottom sections). Each woman is also doing a different traditional Russian activity, such as making wine, baking bread, drinking tea, or playing the lute.
Each doll's ponytail has a different ribbon. While mass-produced for the tourist trade, a skilled craftsman produced this set. Most mass-produced sets made for this market typically show less variation between the dolls. If you are just starting to collect.Matryoshka sets this one is a good step in-between the more inexpensive sets and the very expensive ones. The set is signed RUSSIA 1992 [made by] A. There is some paint smudging and places where the artist was quick with the brush, and the dolls do show some minor wear and flaking around the seems. Overall the set is in good-to-very good condition. The largest doll in the set is about 6 1/2 tall, the smallest is a half-inch.
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