Semenov Bottle Holders [Vintage]

Product Description

Semenov Souvenir (Сувенир "Семёновский"). A companion pair of late 1970's bottle holders in the original silk screened packaging with cellophane windows. Both open in the middle to hold a small bottle. Large USSR paper label on bottom of box. 8" in height. Both open to hide small bottles. The boy is a small version of the traditional 14" holder while the cosmonaut girl continues as a celebration souvenir of the Soviet space exploration program. In 1982 two Soviet cosmonauts gifted their French crew-mate a pair. Originally it was intended to be a wedding pair. 

Refer to Collector's Guide to Nesting Dolls by Michele Lefkovitz, p. 12 and in the color photo section, second page, after p. 93.

These are still being made up to this day in the Semenov matryoshka amalgamation in Nizhni Novgorod but now have big eyes and sweetened facial expressions (see pic).