Featured Gold Walnut shaped Bowl/Dish w/ Pierced Lid - What is it & manuf?

This was gifted to me a few years ago, and I thought I had researched it. Now, I can't find another like it. There is a mark on the underside that looks like L78. The bottom is solid, the top is pierced but the design is asymmetric, the overall look is like a walnut! I thought at first it was porcelain, but when I look at the wear on the feet, the underlying material looks like metal (but it is not attracted to a magnet). I'm guessing something like a nut or candy dish, or possibly an ashtray for cigars. What is this crazy thing (and who made it)? ... Dave

 

ya....looks like some sort of ashtray.....

 

Hello komokwa! It's the cover that confuses me and how impractical it would be to use, at least with a cigarette. -- Now that I looked again, it does make more sense. The inner part of the bottom rises upwards, so it could work that way. The cover still seems like a pain.

 

Ashtray usually has a flat place to allow a cigarette to rest and this doesn't. I don't know what it is though....

 

Yeah, that's what's odd if it is an ashtray. I've just been looking at "Pickard" pieces, just guessing because of the gold and Pickard is famous for gold encrusted china. Nothing coming up so far.

The one good thing is that if it is an ashtray, it doesn't look like it was ever used for that purpose. The wear on the feet suggests moderate use, but the lack of burns and stains inside points to candy, nuts, or trinket use, not burning tobacco.

 

My first thought was potpourri or some kind of scented item.

 

My first thought was an incense burner but 1) the various sizes of the holes in the top would not seem to go with the idea and 2) an incense burner shaped like a walnut seems like an odd idea.

 

And my first thought was for a ball of yarn to sit in so it wouldn't roll away while someone was knitting!!!! IF it has some weight, yet is large enough to let a ball roll freely...........HOW big IS IT??????

 

I will try to add dimensions this evening when I am by it.

 

Here are some dimensions: 4 inches to top of lid with lid in place. 4 inches across, measuring maximum width of the lower half, 5 inches deep (front to back) on lower half. So not tiny or huge, but too small for fruit and pretty limited for something like nuts. Lower half is 1-1/4 inch high to rim at front, 2-1/2 inches high to rim at back.