This petite yet striking antique pierced box features a gleaming brass lid, delicately perforated in a classical pattern and topped with a turned finial. Originally silver-plated, time has revealed the warm glow of the brass beneath—adding character and contrast to its softly weathered form.
Measuring approximately 3.25 inches square (excluding the finial), this box was likely intended for use as a potpourri holder, taper box, or desk accessory, with ventilation holes designed to release the subtle fragrance of herbs or to cool small embers.
The precise perforations and neatly squared silhouette reflect late 19th- to early 20th-century English or Continental design, when even the most functional objects were imbued with beauty and ornamentation.
A quietly luxurious piece that blends decorative form with historic utility—ideal for collectors of antique desk and tabletop accessories.
