Watercolor paints, Rostov chemical plant

## Description

Watercolors with a brush and two plastic containers for mixing paints are packaged in a 7.5 x 20.5 centimeter rough cardboard box covered with paper with an image printed on it.

There are two variations of the box with some stylistic differences. On the front side of both boxes, the characters of "Nu, Pogodi!" and the writing "Watercolor Paints" made in two decorative fonts are depicted, both images are made in a range of four colors - black, white, red and blue. One box shows Volk with a microphone on the right, the word "Watercolor" is printed in red, and the word "paints" is made in a tricolor of black, red and blue. On the second box, the image is placed on the left and this time Volk is dancing with Zayats holding hands, the word "Watercolor" is printed here in blue, not red, and the word "paints" is made in a scale of two colors - red and black, not three. Both images are based on the end scene of episode 2 "In the City Park" (1970), where Volk and Zayats, having entered the stage, first danced the tango, and then Volk shouted furiously into the microphone after Zayats escaped.

On the back side of both boxes, completely identical additional information about the product is indicated:

Department of Local Industry of the Yaroslavl Regional Executive Committee

Rostov chemical plant (factory logo),

TO (Technical Department) No. 97 to TU (Specifications) No. 503-445-72 Art. (Article) Yar. 095-01-49 Price 0=40kop.

Inside the box are watercolors on a cardboard backing separated by a removable plastic grid, as well as two small plastic containers for mixing paints and a brush. The sets are slightly different. In the first set, with Volk holding a microphone, the plastic grid is painted peach, the brush is made of plastic with coarse synthetic bristle, the colors of paints are less bright and look dirtier in comparison to the second set, white paint is also included in the kit. In the second set, the grid is made of dark gray plastic, the colors of the paints are more saturated, an additional shade of green is placed instead of white paint, the brush has a wooden handle and a different, softer bristle material, although presumably also synthetic, although it is not known for sure whether this brush is an original brush from the set.

## Trivia

* The last digit of TU number, as well as GOST, usually indicates the year the standard was adopted, so it can be said for sure that the paints were produced not earlier than 1972, but this still doesn't make it possible to establish the exact date, because goods in the USSR could be produced by the same TU or GOST standard for quite a long time, up to ten years or more.
* Presumably, the first set with Volk holding the microphone is still older than the second and was not released at the same time, due to the fact that in addition to the more yellow color of the box, which could be explained simply by other storage conditions, the colors in it look rougher and not so bright.
* The logo of the Rostov chemical plant with a tower in the shield is probably based on the coat of arms of the city itself, on which, both in pre-revolutionary and Soviet times, the fortress tower had a central place.

## Gallery

Front sides of boxesBack sides of boxesFirst box front side scanSecond box front side scanFirst box contentsSecond box contentsFirst edge side of boxesSecond edge side of boxes