MINAUDIERE EN ONYX, NACRE ET DIAMANTS, SIGNÉ MARCHAK PARIS, 1898 with mirror, French hallmarks Weight approx. 152.00 g, dimensions approx. 8.6x5.4 cm AN ONYX, MOTHER OF PEARL AND DIAMOND VANITY CASE, SIGNED MARCHAK PARIS, 1898 Born near Kiev, Joseph Marchak was apprenticed to a jeweler in 1868, at the age of 14. After ten years, he opened his own store and, within twenty years, Marchak was internationally renowned as one of the most important jewelers in the Russian Empire. After the Russian Revolution and the end of the First World War, the Marchak family fled to Paris. In 1920, Alexander Marchak opened a store in the Rue de la Paix, where the quality of his products and the originality of his designs earned him a certain renown. But business was once again interrupted by the world war, and Marchak was forced to reinvent himself once again. Born outside Kiev, Joseph Marchak was apprenticed to a jeweler in 1868 at the age of 14. Within ten years he had opened his own shop and, within twenty, Marchak had gained international renown as one of the most important jewelers in the Russian Empire. Winning a medal at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and one in Antwerp in 1894, Marchak became known as the 'Cartier of Kiev' Unfortunately, Joseph Marchak died at the relatively young age of 64. With the Russian Revolution and the end of World War I, the Marchak family fled to Paris. Alexander Marchak opened a shop on the Rue de la Paix in 1920 where his fine quality and original designs gained fame. But business was once again interrupted by a World War and Marchak was forced to reinvent itself yet another time.