Those looking for genuine Russian gifts on the internet are sure to come across a thousand sites that advertise their products as genuine and charge exorbitant prices. They deal in fakes and even produce fake ‘place of produce’ certificates to customers. Sites that sell genuine Russian art pieces are few and far between. Until a few decades ago, production of these handicrafts was controlled by the government, that differentiated between mass-produced and unique Russian gifts made by individual artists’ of acclaim. But with the advent of a semi-capitalist economy these lines have blurred.
These fake handicrafts have permeated all levels including the online market. In spite of the Russian government’s attempt to regulate the market, there has not been a significant decrease in the number of fakes that are being produced.
Russian lacquered boxes are a good case in point. There are several artists’ who after graduation from any one of the four art schools (that specialize in making these boxes) do not work in factories but are desirous of creative space. And even if they’ve joined they often quit the factory to open their own art houses that cater to the ever-increasing demand for unique and reproduced Russian lacquered boxes. The individual work of these artisans is considered legal as long as they hold a ‘Lacquer box Artist’ certificate from any of the four schools. While some of the independent artists have flourished and earned international glory, some others produce substandard art.
With the original method, it takes anywhere from six to ten months to produce a single box. The younger breed of artisans looking to sell fake handicrafts often resort to questionable techniques that reduce the turnaround time.
Use of materials like soft wood, Argillite, and lesser substitutes also plague the industry. Russian lacquer boxes made of papier-mâché weigh less and last longer than their fake counterparts.
Original Russian lacquered boxes are coated with layers and layers of lacquer and polished painstakingly. As multiple layers of painting is done between one layer of lacquer and the other, it creates a sense of 3D imagery and has larger depth of field. This allows to separates the foreground from the background. But in a fake or an inferior Russian lacquer box, the art appears flat as if it had been stuck on to the box with glue and coated with lacquer.
Make sure you look for the images carefully when you buy these boxes.