Nesting Dolls
Called by many names, Matryoshka Dolls, Babushka Dolls, stacking Dolls, the Nesting Doll is a world renowned symbol of maternity, continuity, layers of personality, and of Russia itself. Adored by children and adults alike throughout the world, our Nesting Dolls are a unique gift, toy, or piece of home decoration. A traditional feel, with a modern appeal, our dolls are sure to put a smile on anyone's face.
The life of a Nesting doll starts long before it is opened up by a child, or a collector, it starts before it's lacquered, or before it's skillfully lathed, the life of the nesting doll starts --like an innumerable number of other products-- as a tree. However not just any tree will meet the requirements; its wood must be of a fine grain, to preserve its shape, and it must take well to various climates so the dolls can be enjoyed not just in their native Russia but wherever the wide market for the matryoshka reaches. To meet the demand of this ever increasing market the wood most not only be durable, but it must be easy to work with and soft, so that is able to be shaped quickly without cracking. With these specifications in mind the majority of artists and craftspeople choose the linden tree as their canvas of choice for the nesting dolls. First the linden tree is felled, the branches are stripped, and the majority of the bark is removed. The remains of the tree are then cured to prevent damage to the wood. The length the wood is cured for depends on the weather, and the method by which the logs are stored. The curing process can range from under a year to over three years. Improper preparations can result in a brittle, warp-able, or discolored wood.
After the wood has been deemed suitable to work with it is cut into blocks and then taken to a worker who will use a lathe to carve out the shape of the doll. One block of wood is used to create the bottom of one large doll, and a separate block is used to create the top of one large doll, another block is used to create the top of the second largest doll, and so on and so forth. A five piece set will actually require nine pieces of wood; 8 for the four larger dolls, and a single block for the baby doll which does not open. Dimensions of these blocks vary depending on the desired sizes of the dolls.
The construction process itself has changed very little since Maliutin and Zveydochin crafted the first set of dolls at the turn of the 20th century. The blocks of wood are first put onto a lathe. The artist then takes a gouge, or a long curved chisel, and carves out the inside of the bottom half of a doll. Next the outside of the doll (the side which is to be painted later) is shaped using a straight chisel or knife. Then using this half of a doll as a sizing guide, the inside of the top half is gouged out from the next block of wood. Finally the outside of the top half is carved out using the same process. The average lathe operator can craft approximately 50 single dolls a day, which translates into roughly 50 sets of five piece dolls in a week. Amazingly, throughout this entire whole process most measurements are done by eye. The creation of one doll is used as a basis for the size of the other dolls in the set, however occasionally a tool called a caliber is used to ensure the dolls are the correct height.
Read more about authentic Russian nesting dolls in The Russian Store's blog! And learn the correct way to open your nesting doll.
