FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS / FAQ'S

Here you will find some frequently asked questions answered.
If your questions is not among them please sent us an email.

Q.   Is VAT included in the price?

A.   As long as you purchase your item within the European Union (participating in Schengen) and the delivery-address will be within the European Union (Schengen) the VAT of 21% is included in the price shown by each item (shown on your shopping card). Purchases outside the European Union (non-participating in Schengen) will lack the VAT of 21%. Customs of each invdividual destignation country will add their applicable VAT.

Q. Which countries participate within Schengen (European Economic Area)?

A. The European Economic Area (EEA) includes: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Czech Republic and Sweden. Purchases within the Europe-single-market called the 'European Economic Area' include the Dutch VAT of 21%. All purchases outside the EEA have VAT exemption.

Q. Who are the people behind Santaoriginals.com?
A. That will be the renowned art gallery of The Inna Kaufman Gallery; based and active since 1990 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. In 2023 the people behind this art gallery started - thanks and through their international connections in the art world - this division in the shape of this website is to sell worldwide handcrafted and handpainted wooden sculptures by the best artists they could find. Check out the websites which are also included in the Santaoriginals-family: www.phoenixlacquerart.com and www.innakaufman.com.

Q. Are the items authentically made in Russia?
A. Yes, all our items are directly imported out of Russia. We select the best artists we can find. We started importing and selling this kind of work all around the world since 1990. 

Q. Is the doll signed by the artist?
A. All our items our handcrafted and hand produced. Most of them are signed by the artist him/herself. For more information about an item do sent us an email: info@santaoriginals.com

Q. Are the items vintage?
A. No, all our items are recently created by local artists in Russia itself. If you are looking for specific vintage item(s) do sent us an email: info@santaoriginals.com. We also have an art gallery in Amsterdam; maybe we have in stock what you are looking for.

Q. What region are the dolls from?
A. Most items (dolls) are created by the best artists we could find: region Moscow, Russia.

Q. Are the dolls hand-carved and hand-painted?
A. All our dolls presented on this website www.santaoriginals.com are handcrafted by the artists themselves. So if you buy one doll here: it is the only one with that kind of expression and draughtsmanship!

Q. What kind of wood is used?
A. Most of the wooden Santa figurines presented on our website are made out of linden. Did you know that after crafting the linden wood the artist wait a whole year to start painting so the wood will be absolutely dry and no longer stretchable.

Q. Are the Santa dolls made of one piece of wood?
A. Yes, the main figure (Father Christmas or in a set also Snowmaiden) is made of one piece of linden wood. But… most of the time is the wand detachable. Sometimes is also included in the item a Christmas tree or birds; mostly they are detachable.

Q. Where can I find genuine Russian Santas?
A. We imported and select the best Russian artists we can find and import directly from them. If you are yourself in Moscow there are some markets where you can buy and find (mass produced) dolls yourself.

Q. Why is one figure more expensive than others?
A. Because all our dolls are handcrafted; the quantity produced depends on the artists themselves. It is all human effort. Our selection of dolls on this website are of bespoke quality. Most of them are in the interest of collectors worldwide. Prices varies of the restrictions given by the artists.