Today, the nesting dolls (also known as Babushka dolls or “matryoshka” dolls) available on the market are of very different qualities. Initially, it can be difficult to tell the difference between quality dolls and fake ones made elsewhere. In fact, this problem is not unique to Russian gifts or nest dolls, and due to the availability of fake dolls on the market, many people are wary of buying anything when they are not sure of the origin or authenticity. Many people find it difficult to tell the difference between a real Russian doll and a fake; however, with a little practice and knowledge of what to look for, this task becomes quite easy. Real handmade dolls can be differentiated by their place of production (city or town), by the style of painting, and by the artists who paint the intricate designs. To make it easier to identify real nesting dolls and even identify the style and city they were painted in, I have provided a short and simple guide to help you find these top quality dolls.
Where Real Nested Dolls Are Sold
In Russian cities like Moscow or St. Petersburg, almost all the nest dolls sold in souvenir shops are of exceptional quality; however they also have exceptional prices. They are made of the best quality wood and raw materials (for example flawless linden wood, higher quality paints and gold trim). The larger seven-, ten-, and fifteen-piece nesting dolls are typically painted by trained professional master craftsmen. On the contrary, the dolls sold by street vendors can be of high quality and great value, individual buyers will need to have a keen eye to identify small flaws and other problems that are common. Street vendors selling these items generally buy slightly defective nesting dolls in bulk from souvenir shops or directly from the artists themselves. If you’re looking hard, street vendors are the place to look, but you need to take your time, look at all the nested doll pieces, and order higher-quality items; sellers will be happy to help smart buyers.
Differences in finishing and polishing
Higher quality babushkas are made using “blank” or unpainted nesting dolls with no defects. Some small defects in the wood are easily fixed by polishing or covering small nicks and dents with starch glue to create a smooth surface. This is normal in Russia; however, such wood arrangements are never seen on imitation nesting dolls made outside of Russia. Smooth surface is very important – good Russian craftsmen demand it in order to be able to apply paints evenly and include detailed painting with precision. Russian nesting dolls that are very inexpensive will still often have some flaws; It is simply not economically viable for craftsmen to try to achieve perfection in a five-piece nesting doll and then sell it for 300 rubles on the street ($ 6.00 USD). If you come across a large, expensive nesting doll with teeth and defects, it is likely either very old or not a real matryoshka doll.
Wood type
The wood used to make Russian nesting dolls is taken from linden trees grown in western Russia and throughout Siberia. Linden trees are famous around the world for the smooth but durable wood they produce, which is almost perfect for woodworking and carving. Interestingly, many different Russian lumberjacks specialize in making and cutting blank (unpainted) dolls, but they usually never begin to paint these dolls. Lumberjacks simply cut, sand and prepare blanks for craftsmen across Russia. They select linden wood trees based on quality, absence of defects, and age. Fake dolls made outside of Russia will often be plastic imitations or use cheap pine wood or other low-quality raw materials. The differences in the type of wood are easy to see once you handle the dolls.
Opening and closing
Quality Russian nesting dolls generally open and close with some effort, pushing and twisting the two pieces of the larger doll. Larger wrists may squeak slightly when opened; this is normal with linden wood and one of the ways to identify the dolls. Most of the fake dolls are easily cracked or broken due to children opening and closing the dolls and just playing with them. Dolls made of linden wood tend to be more durable and long-lasting. Very high quality Russian nesting dolls made of linden wood can last for hundreds of years and retain the high quality paint and clear lacquer finish.
Painting style and designs
Making quality dolls takes painstaking work and hours of hard work. A single ten or fifteen piece nesting doll can take several months to complete. The craftsman or artist may take several more weeks to complete the exquisite gold and lacquered finish of these one-of-a-kind nesting dolls. Intricate designs and detailed painting is what sets these handmade dolls apart from their other Chinese-made counterparts. Additionally, Russian matrioskas often feature styles that are inspired by Russian-style lacquer boxes that feature exceptionally detailed painting styles and tiny miniature landscapes. Russian dolls are also painted in bright and eye-catching colors compared to those painted elsewhere. Counterfeits are often noted for their low-quality paint and poor-quality colors. Authentic matryoshka dolls will have bold and contrasting color combinations of red, blue and yellow on the dolls’ dress, giving them a bright and cheerful look and making them stand out from the crowd.
If you are looking to buy the best quality of a nesting doll, you can choose dolls made by experienced and skilled craftsmen in one of the four towns famous for making them. Nested dolls from the famous Russian craft towns of “Fedoskino”, “Palekh”, “Kholui” and “Mstera” are very popular and unique. This is because the artists of the mentioned towns usually study in specialized artisan colleges. They are professionally trained painters and craftsmen recognized by Russian art guilds and other organizations. These villages are places known for the art of making babushka or matryoshka dolls. Often times, the high-quality matryoshka will be signed by the artist and the artist will also indicate the city where they live. This is a hallmark of real Russian nest dolls.
In conclusion, real Russian matryoshka dolls always feature high-quality raw materials such as linden wood egg-based tempera paints, Russian-style color schemes, and Russian-themed landscapes or colors. High-quality dolls will almost always feature intricate painting, gold trim, and a very high-quality clear lacquer finish to protest against dolls for centuries. Finally, it is also common for the artist or craftsman to sign larger and more expensive matrioskas.