How to Collect Russian Nesting Dolls
Russian nesting dolls all descend from the original matryoshka dolls that bear an image of a peasant woman. They come in a variety of designs with classic and modern subjects. Today, Russian nesting dolls can be political leaders, animals, musical artists, literary characters, religious icons, cathedrals, landscapes and even personalized families.
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Instructions
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Find out about the history of Russian nesting dolls, which is only about 100 years. Websites such as Born in the USSR have sections dedicated to the origins of the nesting dolls. Today, many nesting dolls are made in the small town Sergiev Posad, close to Moscow.
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Examine the different genres of Russian nesting dolls. Popular types include folk art, famous people, fictional characters and famous buildings. You can see a wide variety of nesting dolls on sites such as Russian Legacy.
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Look up the details and values of the nesting dolls that interest you. A helpful guide is the "Collectors Guide to Nesting Dolls: Histories, Identification, Values."
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Decide your collection's focus and budget. You may wish to collect dolls of famous people, for example, or doll sets with at least 10 pieces. Find a niche that you will enjoy and can afford, remembering that it may evolve as your collection progresses.
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Start buying dolls for your collection. Purchase older or secondhand nesting dolls through eBay as well as local consignment and boutique stores and estate sales. Find new dolls in Russia, at specialty boutiques, at art and craft shows and online through stores such as the Russian Store and Great Russian Gifts.
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Protect your wooden nesting dolls by carefully storing or displaying them in a curio cabinet or display case, which you can purchase or make yourself.
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