Matryoshka NEW ARRIVALS

Matryoshka with Toys Doll [Vintage]

Matryona (Матрена). The name of this unusual setmeans "lady". This type of doll, from Sergiev Posad, was made about 25 years ago. It is of the toy "villagers" type, which when opened, reveal a number of small carved and painted pieces. This one has two...

Yoshkar-Ola Matryoshka, 8pcs [Vintage]

Yoshkar Ola Matryoshka, 8 nest. Yoshkar-Ola (sometimes Yoscar-Ola) is the capital of the Mari El Republic in western Russia. The name literally means Red City in the language of the Mari. These dolls were sometimes referred to as Marijaha dolls. One...

Kirov Purple Matryoshka, 8nest [1977]

Kirov Purple Matryoshka, 8nest [1979]. Scarce color arrangement of an 8pc Kirov doll, circa 1977. This matryoshka set was made nearly 50 years ago, some 20 years after the formation of the production center itself. Any nesting dolls from the last quarter...

Zagorsk Vintage Matryoshka (9pcs)

Zagorsk (Загорск) Maidens were made in the 1970s through the late 1980s in "Zagorsk Toy Factory No. 1". This attractive 9 nest is in well-preserved, about fine, condition and isn't suffering from the all-too-common flaking and chipping that plagues this...

President Yeltsin with Communist Leaders

President Yeltsin Matryoshka. The new Russian president entered history as a reformer, so he is shown here with a white, blue and red (tri-color) Russian flag and a gold foil double-headed eagle, the symbol of the old Imperial aristocracy, now repurposed...

Shaded Red Watercolor Matryoshka

Watercolor Matryoshka (1998). This is one of the earliest watercolor matryoshka dolls that we've seen. Each doll is a miniature of the one preceding it and was fully handmade and painted in 1998 by an anonymous artist from St. Petersburg in a workshop...

Sergiev Posad "Churches" Mini [Vintage}

Sergiev Posad Miniature "Churches" Matryoshka. A late 90s set that still retains some of the exquisite attention to detail from the time period. A lot going on in a small space. Wood burnt outlines, potal enhancements (gold foil that imitates gilding)...

Elegant Lady Bottle Holder

Elegant Lady Bottle Holder. Fully handmade and painted, 15" in height. Separates in the center. Made in Russia. 1 only. Unusual decorative bottle holders, or cases, are somewhat of a Russian specialty. Though their intent is functional, i.e., to store a...

Semenov Chess Set [Vintage]

Semenov Chess Set. An all-wood and painted chess set from Semenov circa late 1980s (and then exported to the US, hence the "Made in Russia" labels). The pawns are matryoshkas on a pedestal. The major pieces were made uniquely for the set. Each piece is...

Egg with Rabbits [Poland]

Bunnies Easter Egg. Vintage Polish nesting toy from the 1970s. Two deep red bunnies together with a color matched small painted egg. This set appears to be an earlier version with these components. Later sets added two bunnies and eliminated the egg...

Red Riding Hood Nesting Doll [Poland]

Red Riding Hood.  Vintage Polish nesting toy from the 1980s. All wood, hand painted. A few decades ago, Polish artisans produced nesting dolls that were exported to the US, as well as elsewhere. In near fine, virtually unplayed with, and complete...

Legendary Bogatyr from Viatka

The Legendary Bogatyr (Легендарный Богатырь). The bogatyr is an ancient hero or warrior somewhat like a Western European knight errant. Most of stories about bogatyrs revolve around the court of Vladimir I of Kiev (958–1015). The most prominent...

Hansel and Gretel [Poland]

Hansel and Gretel and the Gingerbread House. Vintage Polish nesting toy from the 1980s. The Witch is the grandmotherly type with a button nose and the children are a set of peg dolls. A lot of interesting lathe work, traditional bright Polish colors and...

Viatka Roly Poly Chime Doll

Viatka Maiden Roly Poly Chime Doll. Early 1980s Viatka (aka Kirov) chime doll painted in traditional colors. These were uncommon in the day, and now we rarely see them. In about fine collectible condition. Glossy finish. 4½" in height. 1 only, as...

Golden Ring Vintage Artistic Matryoshka [1994]

Golden Ring (Золотое кольцо) Artistic Matryoshka. An elegant early nesting doll titled on the front "Golden Ring", which is a ring of towns and cities of great antiquity that lie northeast of Moscow. The artist of this matryoshka features the famous...

Volzhanka from Tver, Pink [Vintage]

Volzhanka (Волжанка). This all-too cute matryoshka from Kalinin was named after Russia's most famous river: The Volga. Her style is different from other nesting doll centers, such as Viatka (aka Kirov or Nolinsk), Semenov or Polkh-Maidan. The wood...

Semenov Matryoshka 7-nest

Semenov Matryoshka (Россияночка).  A traditional Semenov matryoshka that goes by the name of Rossiyanochka (Россияночка) or Mashenka (Машенька), which are interchangeable and endearing terms.  This is the 7-piece version and is 6¾" in...

Tale of the Priest and Balda [Pushkin]

"The Tale of the Priest and of his Workman Balda" ("Сказка о попе и о работнике его Балде") is a fairy tale in verse by Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837). The Priest hires Balda on the cheap to collect a fabricated debt from the sea devils. Balda causes the...

Silver Church Maidens [Vintage]

Silver Church Maidens.  The churches in the center of each piece are abstract images of the monastery at Sergiev Posad. The faces are nicely painted with large black eyelashes and ruby lips. An attractive doll from the golden age of Russian-made...

Russian Boy [Semenov 1967]

Russian Boy (Русский Паренек). Uncommon mid-1960s Semenov boy box. Nicely crafted. On the bottom is a detailed paper label in Russian (see below). In near fine condition with very little wear. Probably originally purchased from a Beriozka shop around...