Topic: Any Thoughts on This Candleholder/Incense Burner/ Whatever?

[firebuild]

Hello, first post. Nice to meet you all. I found out about your board while reading the Whitefriars forum, where I posted this item, looking, as I am here, for any information anyone might be able to give me on who made it, and what its intended use is. My own guesses are in the title. It's a little hard to see in the photos, so I'll describe. There is a forward-facing hole in the front, and inside a flat space big enough for a tea light or a short votive candle to sit. Above that it sweeps up like a chimney with a hole on the top. It has a barklike texture and is ruby red (the orangey tone is just the lighting. Thanks in advance for anything you can tell me.

Mary

[chopin-liszt]

welcome!
You don't say how big it is, I normally assume things this sort of shape are kitchen salt holders.
But I tend to use them for putting my green scrubby things in, beside the sink.
it's rather a lovely beast, but I haven't a clue who made it.
My guts are thinking recent-ish Japanese, but they could be well off mark.

[firebuild]

Hello! Thanks for the response, and the reminder; I knew I'd forgotten something. This is 6" tall, with a diameter of about 5.5" at its widest. It's got a 2.75" hole in the front and a 2" hole in the top. 

I run a vintage store and come across a lot of things; to my eye and hand, I'd have to disagree that it's Japanese and/or newish. Of course I've been wrong before and will be again! Thanks very much for your take on it.

[chopin-liszt]

 
Given I'm ancient myself, recentish (to me) can be '70s or '80s. It really wasn't that long ago... was it?
I really meant not antique or vintage, it's quite possibly retro!
I'm no expert on things Japanese, but that's what the base reminded me of as did the texture in combination with variable colour
Is there age-related wear on the base?
Sometimes, if something only sits on a small area, can have very fine age-related wear on just that tiny rim - you need to feel it with a fingernail rather than see it.

[firebuild]

Ah, but 70's and 80's ARE vintage - vintage being 25 years+!

[chopin-liszt]

Vintage, to me, is '30s. 
The '80s were just yesterday, they don't even make it into retro yet.
Anyway, we can possibly agree that your thing is old to you and recentish to me, but we are still talking about the same sort of period, just from different perspectives of age.