What Are Russian Nesting Dolls Called?

Traditional Russian nesting dolls

Russian nesting dolls are called Matryoshka dolls in their native country of Russia. They are also commonly called stacking dolls. Matryoshka dolls are typically designed to portray a portly peasant woman with a babushka (scarf) on her head symbolizing traditional motherhood with her offspring nesting inside her. They are hollow figures that stack inside each other from biggest to smallest totaling at least three to 12 dolls. They come in various shapes and themes, but are usually made from wood and are cylindrical in shape.

History

Russian nesting dolls were originally created by artists Sergei Maliutin and Vasiliy Zviozdochkin in a workshop outside Moscow. They gave them the name Matryoshka because it was a common peasant woman's name. They dressed her in a sarafan which is the traditional colorful peasant dress of the late 1800s. The popularity of the dolls took off. Now they are a common Russian souvenir and are collected all around the world.

Themes

Matryoshka dolls come in various holiday and religious themes and in many shapes and sizes. Animals, occupational, educational and fictional characters are all portrayed in Matryoshka dolls.

Collectibles

Russian nesting dolls are a popular collectible all over the world. Many people collect these dolls based on their budget and preference. Some people only collect the folk art themes or the holiday themes. Others collect dolls that are in sets of eight. It is a personal preference for choosing how to collect these dolls since the themes vary so widely.

Where to Buy

Many of the dolls are today made in Sergiev Posad which is a town outside of Moscow. Collectors get their dolls on eBay, at boutiques, toy stores or estate sales. There are also many Internet sites dedicated to Matryoshka dolls.

Cost

Depending on the dolls you choose, the cost can range from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars for the antique stacking dolls.

References

• Russian Crafts
• Russian Legacy