Small antique brass/copper bowl or possible incense/ash vessel with three rests and embossed floral decoration. Rich patina and excellent character throughout. Likely late 19th century.
This is an intriguing piece. It has no marks to indicate provenance, the wear and warm patina suggest genuine age and long handling/use and the place from which it came was the home of a collector of middle eastern and Asian antiques and artefacts.
A few things stand out:
The three projecting “rests” are very characteristic of cigar or cigarette rests, they are however bigger than the average modern ashtray rests.
The decorative band has a distinctly Art Nouveau / Arts & Crafts geometric-floral look, popular roughly from the 1890s through the 1930s.
The rounded bottom suggests that it may have once sat in a stand however it does sit straight on a surface.
The interior wear is interesting too. The mottled oxidisation and darker centre could certainly come from ash, heat, incense, or even potpourri oils over many decades.
It is 15cm diameter (without rests) x 5cm high. It is strong and sturdy with significant wear by way of patina, scratches, dents and a tearin the metal at one joint all adding to the items character and story. I’ve included lots of photos for a clear and honest description.