Antique Porcelain Taper Stand or Inkwell?

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$118.00

Quantity Available: 1

Beautiful item, but not sure what it is. Heavy European porcelain, beautifully decorated with handpainted flowers, gilded rims and patterns. The outside of the dish is double skinned, with small holes through both layers in the two rear corners. The base shape is scalloped into shells, with a central gilded catch-well, obviously for overflow from the porcelain spout above. The centre piece is a round, tall pot with brass rim having small protruding pieces which suggest it had a lid that you turned to remove. The spout is part of this round pot, and leads to the interior of it, with the opening being about 3.3 cm up the side. There is the remains of a gilded metal chain still attached to the side of the spout. Whole item measures 20 cm wide, 18cm deep and 11 cm high (8 inches by 7 inches by 4.3/8 inches). The central pot is 7.5 cm high and 6 cm diameter (3 inches by 2.3/8 inches). It is all in one piece with the base. Too big to be some form of inkwell, maybe the spout once held oil, feed from the pot to provide a light. The side shell-shaped dishes were meant to hold something, and the gilded shell was meant to catch something from the spout above. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know! Anyway, it is very decorative, beautifully made and would date probably early to mid 19th century. Most likely German or French. Some wear to the gilding, no cap to the well, but otherwise excellent.