Babushkas - Royal Block Arcade

The Age

Wednesday April 27, 2005

KERRIE O'BRIEN

The Russians call them "matryoshka", derived from the Latin root mater, meaning mother. In Australia we've dubbed them babushka dolls, which isn't too much of a stretch, as babushka translates to "grandmother". Considered a symbol of motherhood and fertility, these wooden nesting dolls were traditionally painted to represent the members of a family, serving as a kinship tool or family tree. Other styles depict Russian fairytales, tsars, Russian politicians or animals.

Basbushkas in the Royal Block Arcade (between the Bourke Street mall and Little Collins Street) was opened 14 years ago by Ricki Meyer and Richard Seager, who have both travelled extensively through Russia and Eastern Europe. More than a hundred different matryoshki grace the shelves of the store, ranging in price from $18 to $699, the latter for a limited series of hand-painted dolls by well-known Russian artists.

Children love the dolls but they also appeal to adults. Meyer says some people buy them for their educational value in helping teach kids to count. The most popular version is the traditional, brightly coloured style with a woman in a red scarf.

The store also stocks a range of Russian, Polish, Austrian and Czechoslovakian items, including handcrafted Polish linden wood boxes, carved or burnt, or inset with copper inlay decoration, chess sets and jewellery. At Christian Easter, handpainted wooden eggs proved popular, and the Orthodox Easter, celebrated on May 1, will see sales of eggs mounted on stands, bearing painted images of Jesus and Mary. Traditional Russian and Polish music provides a pleasant soundtrack while you browse.

www.babushkas.com -- KERRIE O'BRIEN

© 2005 The Age

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