Gorodetz district of Nizhny Novgorod
oblast is one of the oldest centres of ceramics in Russia. From ancient
times pottery and diverse clay toy-whistles were made here. The toys were
little horses, rams, goats, cocks, dogs, deep, foxes, bulls, horsemen,
etc. They were made in the village of Zhbannikovo and in other villages
along the Uzola river.
The special features of Zhbannikovo
toys are as follows: the body of all the figures resembles a clay pyramid
on 3 bases, and the image itself is shaped by moulding the head of an
animal or bird. The methods of clay preparation and making the toy have
come from ancient times and are very traditional. When the toy is being
moulded, a piece of clay is put on the thumb of the left hand and the
necessary shape is formed by the right hand. Then the toy is taken off the
thumb, the hole is closed, leaving a cavity inside. The toy is dried on
the warm Russian stove for a day, then a cut is made at the back and three
or five sound holes are pierced with a special stick. The toys are baked
in the kiln and then enamelled red, blue, brown or other colours. Horns,
ears, hooves, bird's combs and tails are coated with bronze or aluminium
paint. Small spots of different colours are put over the main
background.