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Sometimes now you might hear the word "artisan" which often said to make things look skillfully made and good. However hundred something years ago all over the world things mainly were "artisan" - made by local craftsman. If we know some traditional craftsmen of the West and their craft survived till our days (this is what they sell as "artisan" now) the old Russian crafts on contrary is very much lost, mostly due to the Soviet intent for collectivization and industrialization. However there are still some old photos depicting old Russian artisans - mainly peasants at their craft with captions what exactly they do. For example the man on the photo on top is a master barrel maker at work.

Let's see a few more of the skilled men of past inside, some of these jobs you can't meet nowadays at all:
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A Shoemaker 1903-1905.
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A man weaving "lapti" - old Russian bast shoes made from the bark of birch or linden tree. Imagine your woven basket but in the form of a shoe. This is "lapti". "They were easy to manufacture, but not very durable.". By the way the man on the top of this post, the one who makes a barrel is wearing "lapti" which are pretty much in bad condition already.
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Now weaving the baskets. 1900s.
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A joinery in the village. 1900s
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A pottery and a potter working with clay.
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Those people are making traditional Russian wooden spoons. Maybe you've seen those in souvenir shops.
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Also making spoons. It was a must back there, different sizes and shapes. Here is one old man and probably his disciples.
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Another spoon manufacturing group. Look how people were looking like - dressed, haircuts, etc - just hundred and some years ago and total difference from now!
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And some more spoon makers grouped with basket weavers sitting next to traditional "izba" or wooden house - there is also a well on the left.
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And here is a whole spoon market! Do you see those large woven baskets on the cart? They are loaded with spoons over the top!
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Here, you can see them closely. Wooden spoons were in high demand!
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Another spoon market.