Posted 11 years ago
lisast3
(1 item)
This set of dolls was my mothers and they were very old 50 years ago, when I was a little girl. the smell of the wood these are made of sends me back to being a child, when I was ill I was allowed to gently play with these, on my bed. I cannot find a signature. there is some normal wear and tear, a couple small holes and cracks. I would like to see if anyone out there has any type of helpful information for my research on them.
Thanks!
Lisa
They are Russian Nesting dolls also called Matryoshka dolls
History
Some historians of Russian life argue that matryoshka dolls originated from Japanese traditional dolls. However it's known that Russian masters would make hollow detachable Easter eggs from the wood long before the first nesting doll was made. The first Russian nesting doll set appeared in Moscow in 1890's. It was carved by Vasily Zvyozdochkin from a design by a folk crafts painter Sergey Malyutin. The doll set consisted of eight dolls of decreasing sizes placed one inside the other. All eight dolls depicted children -- the outermost was a girl holding a rooster, six inner dolls were girls, the fifth doll was a boy, and the innermost was a baby.
The original matryoshka set
Despite the fact that first matryoshka dolls were intended for children, their price was so high that only adults could afford to buy them on special occasions. Matryoshka dolls were often given as a present to young women from their beloved ones. In 1900, the dolls earned a bronze medal at the World Exhibition in Paris. Soon after, Russian nesting dolls became wildly popular. The toys were being produced in several well-known manufacturing centers, the most famous of them being Sergiev Posad and Semenov. In the early twentieth century, Russian nesting dolls were being exported abroad in large quantities. The popularity of the dolls even gave rise to a few companies in Germany which produced counterfeit nesting dolls and sold them as Russian toys.
It takes a lot of skill to make a Russian nesting doll set. Traditionally, matryoshka dolls were made from linden or birch and their production would involve the participation of the whole family. The dolls of the cylindrical form were painted in different ways: it could be a peasant girl dressed in a sarafan and a headscarf, a man or a child. Matryoshka dolls are often painted holding a basket of berries, bread, or a bunch of flowers in their hands.
The production process would begin with the smallest, innermost doll that was lathed from a single piece of wood and wouldn't separate as opposed to the larger figures. The number of nested dolls in a set could vary from two to sixty however a classic set normally included five nested figures. The carved dolls were covered with special glue to fill the cracks and reduce the roughness, after which the dolls were painted to follow a particular theme.
Today, the same process is used in for hand-made nesting dolls some Russian villages. The nesting dolls can be painted to follow the traditional theme or any other style, including fairy tales characters, animals, famous political leaders, historical figures, musicians and popular movie stars.
A fancy set like that might make a good gift. When in Russia, you can purchase Russian nesting dolls at most places where souvenirs are sold. In Moscow, Izmaylovo Market is an excellent souvenir venue where hundreds of vendors offer myriads of gifts for sale. It's a good idea to reserve a hotel in Moscow and dedicate a full day to shopping at the market.
Here is a link that might help you learn about them
http://www.russelation.com/matryushka.html
Is a set with this many dolls and this old rare? I researched and only found images a two others that were similar, and they only had 3 or 4 dolls
They came in many sizes or number . I do think the man and woman look older than others ,I will try and find a photo , not rare but I think around 1930 and a very nice set !
hi lisast3. yes, just like manikin wrote russian nesting dolls came in many sizes and numbers. i used to own a couple of sets like yours but, mine held a bag/bundle. circa late 1920-30s. collecting these type dolls and ones of age are my crazy little obsession. research on this age dolls is not easily found on the web. it is mainly the same info just written different ways. there are 'russian matryoshka' (nesting doll) books that may help give you more reference information. should you want to know more i would search out those words in world catalog website to see if a library near you carries the books to check out. or if you want to buy them, go to ebay or amazon. enjoy your dolls. they are pretty and nice set to keep passing on. :)
hello again... funny... the doll you reference to in your question to another russian doll set posting was mine :)))
http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=Antique%20Russian%20Nesting%20Dolls%20Matryoshka%20Folk%20Art%20Wood%20Wooden%20Figures%20Toy%20Box
it is the same style as your set. there may be slight differences in colors or the order of male then female but they are alike. the second man doll is the same :) yes, your set may have more doll pieces. mine sadly has lost the smaller dolls. most likely a 15 piece set originally. mine did not have a stamp. but others that i have and/or had that are similar do have a stamp and others do not have a stamp or label, just a plain wood bottom or painted all black.
you asked a question about value. sets of this age and look vary in worth depending on condition and a complete set. are you thinking of selling or just curious?
That is a coincidence that i posted image of your dolls! I am mostly curious about value, might consider selling
it is a hoot!
value can be from 150-300 dollars or more maybe. the condition and if a set is complete affects value. she is sweet..... :) if you sell, where?
Thank you,
I think I i will keep her for $300, It seemed she might be worth a lot more than that, but I really had no idea, so you information helped me.
Lisa
hello again.
please note that i am not an expert. your set is pretty and yes, having male figures is a plus :) if you decide to sell, put your own price. it may go for that! you never know who out there will fall in love with the dolls and pay. good luck on whatever you decide to do.