Strawberry Motif Matryoshka Doll

This 6" tall Russian Matryoshka doll is a wonderful addition to any collection. In the late 19th century, the first set of nesting doll produced in Russia was designed and painted by the artist Sergei Malutin. Over the next year, the popularity of the Matryoshka dolls was established throughout Russia by their exhibit at the European Trade Shows. During the Civil War of 1917-1921, production was brought to a standstill but resumed sometime in the late 1920's. During this time, Matryoshka doll co-ops were organized by local artisans and grew to dominate the towns in which they were founded. As a result, certain styles became associated with certain towns. The co-op towns dominated Matryoshki production until the 1980's when, led by General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, a thawing of relations between the U.S.S.R. and the West known as "perestroika" occurred. A biproduct of perestroika was that numerous different styles began to appear. Ninety years after the first set was made the casual Matryoshka shopper can find a staggering array of choices. In current times, the dolls are mostly produced for the local tourist market. It was not until recently they were exported to the West; where due to their popularity, customers are more likely to find a larger variety in Melbourne, London, Paris or New York than in Moscow.

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