The entire piece measures 4 ½” high to the top of the finial - the main body of the pot measures 4” diameter at its widest. The pot is in excellent condition with no chips or cracks – the unglazed bottom shows signs of usage – and the overall patina is excellent with the bronze never having been polished. Our best guess as to its use is that it is a combination brush washer and water dropper to be used by scholars when doing calligraphy or paintings. That would explain the wider opening and lid at the top and the smaller opening where water could have been dripped onto an ink stone. We date it to the 19th century, Qing dynasty - possibly even older.