Trying to identify a woodworking technique.

I picked up an intricately carved wooden box last weekend with a technique I've never seen before. It has thin strips of a metal that looks like brass hammered into the surface of the wood outlining the image. It looks like cloisonne only wood instead of enamel. There are no markings on the box. The image is of a mermaid so I was thinking a sailor might have made it while out at sea. No idea of value. I'd guess first half of 20th century. Any ideas?