This Fine & Rare - due to its large size of 24.5 cm x 18.5cm x 4.5cm
Vintage Russian Lacquer Box is also called deed box (casket) or "laretz"
 
Signed by an artist Nikolaeva T in Cyrillic (Николаева), 
Mstera (or Mstyora) in Cyrillic (Мстера) – village/school
 
Hand-painted with traditional Russian folklore scenes & motifs: 
depicting scene from Russian poem “Demons” (signed «Бесы»)
 
"Demons" (1830) is a famous poem by A.S. Pushkin,
written at the beginning of the Boldino autumn. 
 
The work describes a frightening journey of a coachman and 
a gentleman through a night snowstorm, 
where the blizzard metaphorically transforms into demons 
swirling around the travelers. 
 
The poem conveys an atmosphere of mystical chaos.
 
The scene beautifully hand-painted in vivid bright colours, 
against black background & within finely detailed golden frame 
 
Circa 1970’s 
 
In beautiful condition