The box is signed by the artist and comes with the Certificate of Authenticity.

In Russia the troika is a very important national theme representing freedom and good nature. During the long winter months taking a troika ride for fun is a common practice, and yes even today in more rural areas of the country. Some people would use troikas as modes of long distance transportation and troika stations were built on all of the main roads between all the major cities like Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, and so on. Forever will the troika stay ingrained in Russian culture as a result of Nikolay Gogol's famous excerpt from Dead Souls, when he chronicles the freedom and exhilaration one might feel on a troika ride.
The focus of this composition is on the fierce racing steeds. They pull violently at their harnesses, rearing up on their hind legs and thrusting their heads in the air. The trio moves separately, but together as one. The artist paints them with fluid, swirling lines, like ocean waves crashing against a shore. Their manes whip in the wind, like licks of fire, their eyes keen and unpredictable, each muscle gracefully sculpted. The sleigh driver is of one essence with the horses, painted with wild eyes, flowing beard, and fur lined coat. His stance is wild, dominating the wild beasts. The folds of his coat drape naturally over his body, reflecting his motion and the gusting wind.
Egg-tempera paint is the main medium used to paint this composition. Bright oranges, yellows, and whites make up the troika and elements of the foreground. All of the movement is precisely managed with fluid brushwork and meticulously rendered details. Gold paint finds itself in the composition to outline and detail the sled, the driver's whip, and the snow on the trees in the background. All in all this composition moves in a water like motion that captures the essence of a troika ride through the winter night.

Lacquer boxes from Palekh might well enjoy the highest world-wide acclaim. The lacquer art of Palekh has been called "a small miracle", a label particularly fitting since that the village specialized in icon-painting for centuries until the 1917 Russian revolution. To many collectors, Palekh boxes have the most elegant look to them. When you hold one in your hand, you know you are holding something truly special. Most often in Palekh works, innumerable fine lines of gold leaf, polished to a glow by a wolf's tooth, are applied to the ornamental border and drawing itself. A simple one-color background then provides a beautiful contrast to the gold leaf and scene itself. This background, usually black, also serves to take the observer into a new world where one's concept of time and space is left to the imagination.