Khokhloma ware is known as "treen", a term for small functional household items hand made from wood. Antique Khokhloma in better than good condition is very uncommon.. As compared to antique lacquer boxes, icons, samovars or other similar Russian folk and handicrafts, well-preserved old Khokhloma indeed is rare. During the 19th century wooden spoons and bowls for porridge, soup, etc., were in everyday use. A couple of the pieces on this page were made well before the 1960s - the dawn of mass production for tourists from the West. Diplomatic relations were stabilized and the Soviet government had a greater need for "hard" (as opposed to their own "soft") currency. These beautiful pieces of Khokhloma are all hand carved from solid wood, each hand painted and lacquered.