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Matryoshkas, lacquer boxes, bottle covers, Easter eggs They look so great, don they?
It is not only their intricate ornament that makes them so special, but also the uniqueness and the effort required to paint them. There are no two nesting dolls alike; each one is individually hand painted by a skilful and caring artist.
Yet most of this treasure is hidden in a single doll and reveals itself only when all five, ten or even twenty figurines are opened one by one and set next to each other on a table.
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Not until we moved to
Australia and settled here became I interested in the Russian nesting dolls.
One of my best friends whom I had not heard for nearly ten years opened my eyes to this wonderful craft. Severely affected by perestroika and struggling to make ends meet in Russia, working as a scientist with a degree in chemical physics, he tried himself in retailing Russian souvenirs, and this eventually became his full time business.
The business was taking a lot of effort but never really took off due to the strong competition and a lack of connections outside Russia. This is when it occurred to me that living in Australia and having some spare time I am in the right position to help him.
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