Courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Museum, National Archives & Records Administration.
Vasilisa the Beautiful Laquer Box with INF Treaty Coin
Artifact ID1988.90782.01a-b
Object Type
Box, Trinket
Gifter
Eduard Shevardnadze
Date
1987
Medium
Lacquer
Dimensions7 × 5 × 2 in. (17.8 × 12.7 × 5.1 cm)
Physical DescriptionA Russian fairytale lacquer box (a) with a silver INF Treaty commemorative coin (b). A hand painted Russian black lacquer box depicting a fairytale scene from Vasilisa the Beautiful on the lid. In the center of the painting is a woman (Vasilisa) in a red dress and white blouse, with a white kerchief, holding a small wooden doll. Behind her is a small A-frame cottage with a fence around it and trees behind it. Above her in the sky is a rider all in a red tunic, cloak, and hat on a red horse, inside a circle. To the left in the sky is a rider in a black and white tunic, cloak, and hat on a black horse inside a crescent moon. To the right is a rider in a white tunic and hat with a blue cloak and trousers on a white horse, carrying a star in his right hand. The box has a gold design around the lid and along the bottom edges. The bottom is plain black. The box lid is lined with red fabric, and the insert is lined with red velvet with a depression to hold a medallion. The silver medallion commemorated the INF treaty. On the obverse is a relief of a woman with long hair and a draped gown holding a child. On the right in the background is a relief of the northern side of the White House with an American flag design above it. On the left is the Spasskaya Tower of the Kremlin with the Soviet flag design above it. On the reverse is the Tree of Life. There is the outline of a large tree with a small seedling in front of it. Across the tree are raised letters alternating lines of Russian and English text: "TREATY ON THE ELIMINATION OF INTERMEDIATE-RANGE AND SHORTER-RANGE MISSILES USSR-USA" in English and "СССР-США ДОГОВОР О ЛИКВИДАЦИИ РАКЕТ СРЕДНЕЙ ДАЛЬНОСТИ И МЕНЬШЕЙ ДАЛЬНОСТИ" in Russian. It is lettered "1987" at the base of the tree.Historical NoteThe silver coin commemorated the signing of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) treaty on December 8, 1987. It was given in the Oval Office on September 21, 1988 by Eduard Shevardnadze, then the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the USSR. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Shevardnadze was President of Georgia from 1995-2003.
The coin was given in a tradition Russian laquerware box, which often depict scenes from fairytales. This box's design comes from the Russian fairytale Vasilisa the Beautiful. Her mother died when Vasilisa was eight years old, but on her deathbed, Vasilisa's mother gave her a little wooden doll. She told her if she needed help, to give the doll something to eat and drink, and it would help her. One day her father remarried, to an evil stepmother with two daughters, who would give Vasilisa impossible tasks, but the doll would help her with them. When she was sent to fetch a light from the witch Baba Yaga's hut, Vasilisa passed a mysterious man dressed all in white riding a white horse at dawn (Day), then a rider all in red at noon (the Sun), and then a rider all in black in the evening (Night). Baba Yaga caught Vasilisa and forced her to work, but the doll once again helped her. When Baba Yaga asked how she accomplished her tasks, she answered with her mother's blessing. Baba Yaga then threw Vasilisa out of her house, since she didn't want anyone blessed near her. When Vasilisa returned home with the witch's fire, it burned her evil stepmother and stepsisters. The doll later helped Vasilisa become a famous weaver, and Vasilisa married the Tsar.
Additional Details
Custodial History NoteThe item was a gift from a foreign official to President Ronald Reagan during the Reagan administration. It was received through the Executive Office of the President and maintained there until its transfer to the National Archives in January, 1989 for deposit with the Reagan Presidential Library.
National Archives Catalog CollectionRecords of the White House Gift Unit (Reagan Administration) (National Archives Identifier 6816362) and
National Archives Catalog SeriesGifts from Foreign Officials (National Archives Identifier 6816364)
Use Restriction StatusRestricted - Possibly
Use Restriction NoteCopyright or other proprietary rights may be held by individuals or entities other than the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum does not warrant that the use of materials will not infringe on the rights of third parties holding the rights to these works, or make any representations or warranties with respect to the application or terms of any international agreement, treaty, or protections that may apply. It is your responsibility to determine and satisfy any copyright or other use restrictions. Pertinent regulations can be found at 36 C.F.R 1254.62.
Country/Culture
In Collection(s)