RARE 1988 USSR Matryoshka • Signed Antonov I.G. Zagorsk • 13-Piece Museum Set

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

RARE 1988 USSR Matryoshka • Signed Antonov I.G. Zagorsk • 13-Piece Museum Set:
$49995.00

After reassessing the rarity, provenance, and artist-signed nature of this set, the listing has been updated to reflect its true, museum-quality value. This is not a mass-produced tourist matryoshka—this is a one-of-a-kind Soviet folk-art work created in 1988.
I purchased this13-piece hand-painted Matryoshka setfrom an art gallery inMoscow in 1988, during the final years of the Soviet Union. Every doll isindividually hand-painted, with the artwork precisely replicated as the size decreases?an exceptionally difficult traditional technique that only skilled artists can execute.The set issigned and datedon the underside of the largest doll:“Антонов И.Г., г. Загорск, 13 мест, 1988 г.”
(Translation:Antonov I.G., City of Zagorsk, 13 pieces, 1988.)

Zagorsk (modern Sergiev Posad) is the historic center of Russian matryoshka craftsmanship. Artist-signed, dated sets from this region?particularly from the Soviet era?are rarely seen and highly sought after by collectors.

The artistry isexceptional. The detail remains crisp and beautifully preserved on all thirteen pieces, including the smallest dolls. The floral pattern, warm facial expression, and traditional Zagorsk styling are characteristic of high-quality late-Soviet folk art. This set has been kept in outstanding condition for nearly four decades.

Because this piece isartist-signed,Soviet-period,13 pieces, andhand-painted in identical diminishing detail, it is extremely unlikely that another set exists like it. In all my years of searching, I have never found another 13-piece set signed by Antonov I.G. or one that matches this craftsmanship and provenance.

This is an opportunity to own aunique, investment-grade Russian folk-art piecesuitable for private collectors, museums, and serious art enthusiasts.

SHIPPING & INSURANCE

The piece will be carefully double-boxed and shipped via FedEx Priority Overnight with full declared-value insurance, tracking, and adult signature required. This provides maximum security for high-value artwork during transit.