Matryoshka makers have long excelled at coming up with creative new ways to sell their wares. Some have traded in the traditional Russian peasant woman design for images pop stars, politicos and even terrorists.
At a crowded souvenir stand in Moscow, there are rows of dolls bearing the image of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, President Dmitry Medvedev, Elvis Presley and Osama Bin Laden.
In a recent interview with Russian television, President Obama was presented with his very own matryoshka as a gift from the presenter, perhaps an attempt to raise the president's awareness about the cultural importance of the beautiful dolls.
Now, there's even a small chance that he may be able to help the endangered dolls. The Obama matryoshka has been popular with tourists since the U.S. president was elected late in 2008, but the hope is that with his visit to Moscow beginning this week, sales of the Obama matryoshka will skyrocket.
More likely, it's the Russian government that will save the day after a recent promise to buy $30 million worth of the endangered dolls and other Russian handicrafts for officials to give out as gifts.
But some are asking: Should the government's money really be spent on preserving dolls?
"The matryoshka has been around just over 100 years," Pankova said. "It is a symbol of motherhood, of a simple Russian woman. Artisanry in Russia is part of Russia's enormous heritage. It's part of its image, and it needs advertising and support."
One British couple buying matryoshkas told ABC News, "We used to say, 'What's good for General Motors is good for America,' and General Motors had a bailout. So maybe matroyskha's the General Motors of Russia and they should get a bailout too."
While the matryoshka industry cannot rival GM in terms of its size, it certainly has a huge place in the hearts of people around the world.
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