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Collectors Guide to Nesting Dolls: Histories, Identification, Values

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Collectors Guide to Nesting Dolls: Histories, Identification, Values
Michele Lyons Lefkovitz
Manufacturer: Books Americana
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Dolls | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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The Art of the Russian Matryoshka
The Littlest Matryoshka

ASIN: 0896890694

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Best children's book ever
Illustrations filled with magic
brilliant illustrations, wonderful retelling
Wonderful story, stunning art!
A great story, wonderful illustrations

The Magic Nesting Doll
Jacqueline K. Ogburn
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Littlest Matryoshka
The Lady and the Lion
The Tale of The Firebird
Look What Came from Russia (Look What Came from)
The Sea King's Daughter: A Russian Legend

ASIN: 0142500658

Book Description

A wicked spell has changed the Tsarevitch, a handsome young prince, into ice. Now only a poor peasant girl named Katya can save him, using ingenuity and her grandmother's magic nesting doll. But the Grand Vizier, the cruel wizard who cast the spell, has no intention of letting Katya destroy his handiwork, and he will fight her every step of the way. Is Katya strong enough to prevail and set the Tsarevitch free?

Illustrated by Laurel Long.

Customer Reviews:

Best children's book ever.......2006-11-18

This is the most exquisitely illustrated and delightfully magical book for children I have ever read. My daughter just gazes at the pictures, and she'll never let me read "just a few pages". We always have to read the entire book, and each and every time she is as enchanted as the first time we read it together. This is the kind of story I wish my mother could have read to me as a child. And I'm hoping someday I'll be able to read it to my grandchildren. I intend to keep this book forever. I cannot say enough about the beautiful illustrations...they are more exquisite than any real place on earth could ever be. As a result, they're sure to capture your child's heart and imagination. The facial expressions are haunting and I find myself wishing we could just leap into the page and spend a little time in this world. I am only wondering if Laurel Long has prints available? I would so love to hang one on my daughter's wall in her bedroom. Please read this book. It's just fabulous.

Illustrations filled with magic.......2006-08-04

I love the illustrations in this, they are sure to fascinate many detail oriented children, they are very much like the art that is painted onto the little nesting dolls. The story is a wonderful sort of reverse Sleeping Beauty, but told from the rescuer's point of view, Katya is a sweet but strong and determined heroine who rides a wolf, a bear and a firebird to save her sleeping prince.

A great gift for a child (or inner child) who loves fairytales.

brilliant illustrations, wonderful retelling.......2005-08-10

The illustrations in this book are reminiscent of the lacquered boxes that come from Russia - textured, detailed, and layered. A gorgeous book retelling a classic Russian tale - a wonderful addition to any child's library, but particularly children adopted from Russia.

Wonderful story, stunning art!.......2002-01-13

My mother got this book and another one also illustrated by Laurel Long (The Mightiest Heart by Lynn Cullen) for my son and daughter for Christmas. The very first thing I noticed was the beautiful, BEAUTIFUL artwork. It's definitely a picture book worth having for the *pictures*! :-)

The story itself is also excellent. It is good bedtime story length. The plot is a wonderful Sleeping Beauty fairy tale with a female heroine. Katya swears to break the evil spell that the Grand Vizier has cast on the Tsarevitch, and she succeeds with the help of the magic nesting dolls (matryoshka) her dying grandmother left her.

My children and I have really enjoyed this book.

A great story, wonderful illustrations.......2001-01-03

This book is fairly long for a picture book, and so it may be hard for younger kids (or just kids with short attention spans) to sit through, even though the story is good. The illustrations, though, are breathtaking, and i am sure that there are a lot of younger kids who could make up their own intricate stories just based on the pictures. It's nice to see, as well, a fairy tale type book where there is a heroine who is saving the prince (or tsarovitch, in this case), though i guess it would have been nice to see Katya battling a dragon or something rather than just making wishes. Oh, well. It's a delightful book nonetheless. :)

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Nesting doll rhymes
Valentin Berestov
Manufacturer: Imported by Imported Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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My Little Matryoshkas
Tanya Roitman
Manufacturer: Blue Apple
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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The Littlest Matryoshka
How The Russian Snow Maiden Helped Santa Claus
The Magic Nesting Doll
Russian Picture Word Book: Learn Over 500 Commonly Used Russian Words Through Pictures (Foreign Language Anyone?)
Look What Came from Russia (Look What Came from)

Accessories:

Swim Buddies

ASIN: 1593541651

Book Description

For years, matryoshkas—Russian nesting dolls—have captured the imaginations of children all over the world. This interactive novelty book is illustrated with authentic Russian folk art and features the days of the week with push-out dolls. This unusual format encourages children to invent stories, play games, and put the dolls in sequential order before putting them back into the book. New words to a traditional children's song introduce readers to the unique food of eastern Europe.

Clifford the Big Red Dog Wooden Nesting Blocks

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Clifford the Big Red Dog Wooden Nesting Blocks
Norman Bridwell , and Inc. Scholastic
Manufacturer: Sidekicks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Misc. Supplies

Activities & Toys | Sports & Activities | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Great History and Information
AWSOME for the Matroyshka collector!
From America to The Netherlands within three weeks
Excellent Book!
A unique and distinctive artbook

The Art of the Russian Matryoshka
Rett Ertl
Manufacturer: Vernissage Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Folk Art | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Russia | History | Subjects | Books

Dolls | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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The Littlest Matryoshka
The Magic Nesting Doll
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Sasha's Matrioshka Dolls
Look What Came from Russia (Look What Came from)

ASIN: 0972502718

Book Description

The book is the complete account of the history, production, varieties, and creators of the nesting doll that has become a symbol of Russian folk culture, if not Russia itself. Contributing to the history are commissioned studies from three of Russia's leading authorities on toys and folk art. The book includes 330 color plates, 200 of which are carefully selected examples of dolls. The examples include: historical dolls from museums in Russia; factory products made throughout the Soviet period in the villages of Sergiev Posad, Polkhovsky Maidan, Semyonov, Kirov, and Nolinsk; and artwork of independent artists, photographed in several of the artists' home-studios, in private collections, and in the inventory of importer-author Rett Ertl.

Customer Reviews:

Great History and Information.......2007-06-05

I had visited Russia in 1996 and purchased many matryoshkas for myself and souvenirs. I loved this book, because I saw many of the ones I had bought, and others I hadn't and it was wonderful to learn their history. I also am fond of the store that Mr. Ertl has online and hope to purchase some matryoshkas from him in the future.

AWSOME for the Matroyshka collector!.......2007-03-08

Fantastic book! Color plates are exquisite and the text very informative. A definate must-have for any doll collector!

From America to The Netherlands within three weeks.......2007-02-08

Our daughter was so happy receiving the book The Art of the Matroyshka for her school project. The book marvelous! Extreem beautiful pictures, so clear! A good story with much details. Very usable for the school project.
We also were very pleased with the fast en accurate delivery.

Many thanks, Robert

Excellent Book!.......2005-06-15

As an avid collector of matryoshka dolls, I found this book covered it all! I especially enjoyed the pictures and explanation of the lathing and prepping of the blanks. And the techniques used to paint the dolls. This book is a must-have for every collector!

A unique and distinctive artbook.......2003-11-13

The detailed and collaborative work of Rett Ertl and Rick Hibberd, The Art Of The Russian Matryoshka is a unique and distinctive artbook devoted to the classic Russian toy consisting of dolls that fit inside one another. 330 full-color photographs illustrate and showcase rare and vintage matryoshka, while the narrative text covers the history of this device as well as the steps of its creation today. The Art Of The Russian Matryoshka is especially recommended for toy collectors and a welcome contribution Russian Cultural Studies collections.

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Gorgeously illustrated, delightful tale

Sasha's Matrioshka Dolls
Jana Dillon
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Littlest Matryoshka
The Magic Nesting Doll
Anastasia from Russia Sticker Paper Doll (Dover Little Activity Books)
Look What Came from Russia (Look What Came from)
How The Russian Snow Maiden Helped Santa Claus

ASIN: 0374373876

Book Description

A sweet confection about the first nesting dolls

In old Moscow live a girl named Sasha and her grandfather, a boxmaker. One day Sasha’s rag doll is eaten by mice. Her loving grandfather sets out to make her a doll that is impervious to mice, rats, cats, and even the Tsar’s cavalry. What can it be but seven carved wooden dolls nestled together to form one thumbling doll – the first matrioshka, or “little mother.”
How Sasha’s grandfather comes to make the doll is at the heart of this warm intergenerational story, lavishly illustrated in brilliant watercolors and colored pencils.

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeously illustrated, delightful tale.......2004-04-25

After Sasha's rag doll is destroyed by mice, her boxmaker grandfather carves a tiny thumbling doll out of wood and a box to keep it safe. That box is the same shape as the thumbling, and Sasha thinks of it as a doll. Grandfather and Sasha work together. He carves the wood pieces, then she elaborately paints them to look like little mothers. (Matrioshka is the Russian word for "little mother.") Mice take off with the first doll and box, so the new toy makers create a third protective doll-shaped box, which will be too large and heavy for the mice to steal. The next day they learn that the three-doll set isn't too big for rats though, and a fourth box is made. Much to her delight, this pattern of mishaps continues until Sasha has a lovely set of seven dolls that are too big and heavy to be knocked over by any animal.

The symbiotic relationship between Sasha and her grandfather is warmly demonstrated throughout the story. Sasha needs Grandfather Boxer to provide her with dolls. Grandfather Boxer needs Sasha and her dolls to attract new customers to his shop. The two enjoy each other's company, sometimes teasing and giggling as they creatively work out new solutions. No matter what happens, they always end the day smiling.

At one point, Grandfather mentions that the dolls look like Sasha's mother and grandmother, both of whom she has lost. Whether this is a positive, a negative, or a non-issue will vary with each child. However, I've noted this in case anyone is looking to buy this book for a child who has recently experienced a death in the family.

The lavish illustrations are brightly colored and richly detailed, yet never overwhelming. There's more than enough color and activity on each page to ensure that even inattentive little ones will keep their eyes focused on the book. While older children may want to read this themselves, this is a great book to read to toddlers as well.

The author's note briefly explains of the history of Russian nesting dolls. The dolls in this book were modeled after those crafted by Polkholvsky Maidan artisans.

Could this delightful tale have any factual basis? Perhaps the first nesting doll was created simply as a doll box. Perhaps not. Nevertheless, pondering the origin of the first matrioshka may be an interesting venture for children who love them. This story is a must-have for fans of Russian fairy tales, doll enthusiasts, and children everywhere.

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Activism and beauty, power and tenderness

Nesting Doll
Rita Kiefer
Manufacturer: University Press of Colorado
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

In Nesting Doll, Rita Brady Kiefer celebrates the power of words to transform life while exploring the mysterious ways memory and language help shape each other. Throughout twenty poems, Kiefer brilliantly explores the way in which women and religious subjects interrelate, handling a great many psychological subtleties with ease and in straightforward verse. The title poem, "Nesting Doll," is emblematic of how we attempt to uncover layers of personality in order to discover what it means to inhabit a human body while at the same time exist in a community. This seven-part poem places at center stage women from Kiefer's individual history who resonate with women from our own. Another selection, a sequence of poems known as the "Sister Mailee Sequence," offers a lyric perspective on the poet's "previous life" as a Catholic nun. This particular piece calls into question the permanence of vocation and examines endless possibilities of the relationships between an individual's spiritual and sensuous lives. The final poem is an elegy for one of the four churchwomen murdered in El Salvador in 1980. Whether the poems in this volume originate from Marie Curie's thumbs ("near senseless from chemicals [she was that in love with looking]"), a campus tree that keeps returning ("4maybe5timescutdown"), or the voices of "my sweet . . . diaphonous . . . dead," the images created rely on the silences surrounding Kiefer's words as much as what is articulated. Whether reflecting tentative constructed human relationships or connections with the natural world, this collection of poems embraces uncertainty as a way of being.

Rita Brady Kiefer teaches in the Department of English at the University of Northern Colorado. Her previous volumes of poetry include UNVEILING (Chicory Blue Press) and TRYING ON FACES (Monkshood Press), and her poems have appeared in The Bloomsbury Review, Ploughshares, Southern Poetry Review,Cimarron Review, Crosscurrents,High Plains Literary Review, and elsewhere.

Customer Reviews:

Activism and beauty, power and tenderness.......2001-01-08

When I was eighteen, I volunteered at a battered women's shelter, aptly named A Woman's Place. I worked in a poetry group comprised of the shelter's residents, staff members and other volunteers, headed by Rita Brady Kiefer, professor of women's studies and creative writing at the University of Northern Colorado. We met every Sunday for six weeks, workshopping each other's writing in preparation for a series of four readings to be given at the six weeks' finish. Under Kiefer's motherly tutelage, we crafted gorgeous poetry and presented probably the most heartrending four literary shows ever seen by the small cow-town of Greeley, Colorado. The residents, these women hiding from abusive men, rebuilding their lives, rediscovering themselves, wrote with raw, agonizing emotion which Kiefer harnessed, helping them produce masterpieces.

Kiefer, a former nun whose departure from the church is documented in Nesting Doll's first poem "Ex-Nun in a Red Mercedes," seems predestined for a life of compassion and altruism. Yet, in her selflessness, she is independent, fierce, poised, and determined to help those who don't possess these qualities, discover them. Nesting Doll is a search of courage and justice for the voiceless, oppressed minions-and Kiefer herself.

The writing is lyrical, and the language and subject matter are always powerful. In "Last Song," the torture of a woman shocks the reader: "Just before they cut out her tongue/she cried I will learn to sign, her/fingers lacing the air he commanded/those hands silent they brought cleavers" (Kiefer, 6) Kiefer's outrage is evident, invoking the reader's own outrage and sympathy. We wonder at the woman's bravery and the torturer's madness, his command to silence the hands after she promises to learn sign language. The poem is chilling and provocative.

Kiefer is also capable of sensuality. Inspired by Rumi's passionate ghazaals, Kiefer penned "Like This": "Not the way father kissed mother/on the cheek, not in the front of the house,/no, in the bedroom, basement, in/those dark places, those under the earth/places no one can see, kiss me/across mountains when we are apart . . ." (Kiefer, 14) A shame we don't see many romantic poems in Nesting Doll, for the beauty of "Like This" positions Kiefer in league with icons like Rumi or even Pablo Neruda.

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The Days of Creation Nesting Globes

Manufacturer: David C Cook Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 078143632X

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Nesting Doll Rhymes
Translated By Peter Tempest
Manufacturer: Malysh Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K0BNJC

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