Golden Cockerel has been making authentic Russian nesting dolls since 1993. We are a small friendly company based jointly in Boone, North Carolina, and St. Petersburg, Russia. We have produced thousands of nesting dolls of our own unique designs in our Russian doll workshop. Since the early 1990's we have been serving a broad spectrum of customers, from individual collectors to corporations such as USA Films, Pepsi, Nestle, and John Deere. Whatever your interest in Russian crafts might be, your satisfaction is guaranteed! Click "Go" to learn more.

"Once upon a time, in a land far away, Walton Conway found himself sitting at a table opposite a man he would’ve considered an enemy in childhood. The man, Roman Karkachev, grew up in the Soviet Union. Conway came of age in Gastonia, where he remembers being aghast at his parents’ descriptions of life as they imagined it in a communist country. In his youth, Conway envisioned the Soviet Union as a place full of stern-faced men and precariously positioned missiles, a perception fueled by the Cold War. “When I decided to go teach in Russia, people kept asking why I would want to live there,” he says. “I felt Russia was sort of a forbidden country. … I wanted to go to Russia to be an ambassador, to learn what life was like there, and to make friends. I believe every individual friendship is a link to world peace.”

This article by Leigh Ann Henion appeared in Our State Magazine, September 2008. Read more!

Greed...Broken Promises...Lost Treasures. A lesson for the young and ruthless. Or perhaps a warning for one operating a business founded on goodwill! That's the way Pushkin's tale (below) spoke to me as I returned home from living two years in Russia with the weight of a fledgling business in my hands, a gift from Russia that, if treated properly, would continue giving to all. Never forget one's promises, never lose sight of that distant land. The magic of the golden cockerel. The craft of a wise old man. Golden Cockerel Crafts.--wc

"Conway's journey began as a 1,500 mile bike ride from the former West Germany to the Soviet Union during the summer of 1991, a time of uncertainty and change for the friends he was about to make. While the fall of communism may have brought hope in some circles, Conway arrived during Russia's winter of despair..."

This article by Denise de Ribert appeared in the Mountain Times, 7/22/1999. Read more!

Our gallery is in Boone, NC. In addition to the South's largest selection of Russian nesting dolls, you'll find a great assortment of Russian folk crafts--many more items than you see on our web site. Furthermore, you'll find a number of special sale items not found on the web, plus you'll have fun rummaging through our bargain box. Learn more!

This quaint, century-old farmhouse offers an excellent venue for experiencing the Appalachian countryside: fresh mountain air, babbling brooks, nature at your doorstep. Tucked away on a dead-end road, nestled at the base of undeveloped Bald Mountain, the Old Farmhouse takes one back to a slower day, a simpler time. Sit on the porch and watch the horses graze.

Rent by the day or week, explore the High Country, and shop at the Golden Cockerel Gallery.

Having trouble finding exactly what you need? How to use our web site? Can we help you with a price quote for a custom project? Delivery times? Have any question at all? There’s a good chance we have the answer. Please feel free to contact us in any of the following ways: