thanks to all, and apologies, I forgot to describe the wire covering, which may well assist with dating, and it came incidentally from this morning's boot sale. The internal wire - which I now see is quite a bright brassy colour - is covered in a lime greenish almost wool like wrapping. So, perhaps not as old as I had first thought, although the woman at the boot sale said she had owned this for many years. Oh, have I been lied to again by a woman

And I've just knocked another leaf off the piece. The fine parts of the branches actually go into very small diameter holes in the leaves, and too much bending of the wires and obviously the leaves will drop (whether it is autumn or not). Have the Czech. factories been producing these of late do you know?? Might look good on the Christmas tree, perhaps

Anyway, it was only Sterling £1.50.