These two have me stumped. Oriental?

Forgive the pun but I bought these two small cast brass or bronze tree stump pieces on eBay.

They remind me of Chinese or Japanese brush pots but, at only 8cm (just over 3”) they are on the small side.

They are very nicely cast and patinated (although someone has cleaned off some of the patina on one ☹️).

I would have expected a signature on something this nice but there’s no sign of one anywhere.

They have some age. Does anybody have any ideas what they are and where they might come from? The seller said they had been in his family for some time and we’re known as “the Japanese vases”

 

I can see why you think Japanese or Chinese, but they also look like they could be ca 1900 European. Our 'bug lady' @kyratango may recognize the style.

 

I'd be thinking European too. Match holders? They'd be awfully short for spill vases - the spills would spill. The casting method is all wrong for Japanese.

 

European for sure, end 19th century, I don't know which firm made them...
They are very often encountered in flea markets and "vide Greniers" here in France.
A bit too high for pyrogenes\match strikers or for toothpicks holders... I'd use them filled with modeling paste to hold my insects stick pins!

 

Is it just an effect of slightly different angles of viewing or are the upper edges of each little pot slightly different from the other?

 

Could these have had glass inserts at some point? A taller insert would make them into spill vases.

 

Are they vessels/holders for inks or paints?

 

Thanks for all the ideas. Haven’t managed to find another yet.

 

Can certainly see why those would attract your eye. Interesting that they're two but not a pair.

Debora

 

I am friendly with one of the appraisers on The Antiques Roadshow on Twitter. This is what he has to say
Good morning! These are charming! They owe a good deal to Japanese metalwork but I think they are European c 1900. I think they are spill vases and would have decorated each end of the mantlepiece for old boys to reach into the fire and light their cigarettes and cigars. It's all a bit speculative but it's my best guess. The metal seems to be patinated so never attempt to clean them.

 

for old boys to reach into the fire......
holding a metal cup......?
how far into the fire did one have to reach?

They are very nice.....
but this concept of spill vase is unknown to me.

 

https://mansionmusings.wordpress.com/2017/12/04/spills-let-there-be-light/

 

so ya didn't put stuff into them...you took stuff out of them to light a fire..humm

 

But you had to put stuff in, first.....

 

well, first they were MT...before you put stuff in............

 

OTOH having metal ones was a good idea. That way if the old boy was three sheets to and knocked one over, it didn't break.

 

A match holder\striker same style:
https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Rare-Pyrogene-Ancien-Art-Nouveau-
bronze/124310797592?hash=item1cf1803d18:g~

 

Wondered if your "stumped" in title was a pun considering the objects!?

 

It was: