This is Kirov, not the oldest, but the most popular and timeless matryoshka design. All our matryoshka are made in Russia. We take great care to ensure the provinence of our nesting dolls and certificates of their origin can be purchased from Geppetto's Workshop on request by phone or by visiting the store. It takes approximately 7 years between the planting of the tree to the completion of each doll set, so these are the real-deal ... not faux.
This set is finished in a gloss lacquer. This is a very tough surface which will resist marks and scuffing over time with extensive play by children. While these dolls are not approved for unsupervised use by 0-3 yr kids (due to them containing small parts), our matryoshka are very suitable for supervised play from perhaps 2 yrs up.
As the nesting dolls age, so too do the surfaces and fit. If you find your dolls too tight to open, be gentle and open them like a bottle of champagne ... don't twist. Once open, you can also apply the smallest amount of candle wax or soap to the raw timber edges at the joint ... but never sand them.
It's important that you never expose your nesting dolls to water (the bath!) or to long periods of direct sunlight and heat.
The images shown are indicative of the style and will be very close, but may not exactly represent the item available. Be mindful that all nesting dolls are made from a natural and varying wood, are hand turned and hand painted. Each design is unique and they vary in colour, design and detail at the artist's discretion. The size indicated is approximate and all these variances are not considered faults.