Q: Several years ago a friend gave me this lacquered box at my retirement party. She told me her mother-in-law had sold one similar to it in her antiques store for $600. I’m getting on in years and I’m trying to get things settled for my children. I told them not to sell all my stuff in a garage sale, because some of it has value. The box is 2 3/4 by 3 3/4 inches and is 1 3/4 inches high. These Russian words are on the bottom. Can you tell me something about the box, including its possible value?
A: Russian lacquered boxes were first made in 1795 in Fedoskino, a town near Moscow, and are still made in Fedoskino and other towns. The process of making the boxes takes several weeks. The shape is formed from papier-mache made from strips of cardboard and a flour-and-water paste. After the papier-mache has dried for over a month, it’s coated with a primer and then with a base coat of colored lacquer. Most boxes are black on the outside and red on the inside. The picture on the top of the box is painted by an artist and finished with several coats of clear lacquer. The subject, intricacy, and quality of the painting help determine value. Russian lacquered boxes made before 1917 usually sell for high prices. Most boxes picturing peasants or fairy tale scenes were made for export from the 1960s to 1980s and sell for low prices. Lacquered boxes were also made as souvenirs to be sold at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. The Russian words on the bottom of your box say “Moscow Olympiad – 80.” A box like yours, made for the 1980 Olympics, sold a few years ago for $35.
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