Though the art of inlay was primarily credited to Far Eastern artisans in the Art Deco period, one European craftsman, the Russian Vladimir Makovsky (1884-1966), is known to have practiced the technique with as much skill as those in Asia. Different from the "lacque burgauté", his inlays consisted of tinted mother-of-pearl and a mixture of hardstones on a mother-of-pearl background. The present vanity case is an exquisite example. The movement of light on the water in the Chinese fishing scene is brought to life by the shimmering effect of the nacre. Makovsky's signature scribbly "M" can be seen to the far right at the middle.