Can anyone please tell me what this is?

[goldberg]

Hi everyone. My name is Terry and I need some help. I have this container I acquired made of brass but I can't find anything that might explain what it is. It's 7 inches in diameter and about 3 1/4 inches tall. It doesn't have any stamp on the bottom, but it has very small pin type pricks that might read india on the very outer edge of the bottom. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

[talesofthesevenseas]

Hmmm... I wonder if this could be for keeping naan (traditional Indian bread) warm?

[waywardangler]

Does that lid come off?  What purpose do those links serve?  Where is the "India" marking?  What does the inside look like?  What does the inside smell like?  Some more pics would be helpful.

[KC]

Does it have small holes?

Typically incense burners have chains to hang/swing and have closures.

[mariok54]

Does it look as if there should be a handle there that has now disappeared? I think Tales's is a good suggestion, take a look at this one...

http://compare.ebay.com/like/120659390454?var=noa&sort=BestMatch


I was certainly thinking of a some of tiffin box when I read the measurements ...

There is also other examples such as...

http://eronjohnsonantiques.com/dynapage/IP19060.htm

Age might be a difficult one to ascertain without a very close inspection as, if it is Indian, then they still employ many of the traditional manufacturing methods over there. But someone who knows their stuff and gets a chance to handle it, should be able to tell you a little more info.

[sapphire]

Here's another example of one......

http://monsoontrading.com.au/catalogue/decorative/decorative-Pages/Image10.html

[goldberg]

Hi everyone, thanks so much for your help so far. It looks as if something is missing from the lid because of the two individual pin type attachments. It doesn't have any holes in it, or it doesn't have any type of smell to it other that a metallic type smell.. What I think is intriguing is the etching in the brass and the contruction looks hand tooled. The connectors for the chains look like cotter pin style to attach the chains and they used the same type connector to perform as a latch to secure the lid on the front. I included some more photo's, maybe they will help.    

[cogar]

Me thinks what you have is typically called ...... India Brass ...... and I'm not sure there is really a use for it other than a "decorator" item.

Me also thinks most of said items marked "India" were made solely for the "tourist" or export trade and really didn't have a functional use other than to "look pretty". 

[KC]

I also agree with cogar!