This piece was signed on lid (mid bottom right): "Oedockuro, 1970, Yekob" and is marked on the underside: "Made in U.S.S.R". It was painstakingly hand crafted, in the Palekh tradition, with a papier mache base and black lacquered finish; this one, with a handpainted winter troika scene. It is a beautiful example of Russian folk art.