Italian Art Deco Hammered Metal & Wood Box, 1930s

In the 1920s and 1930s, European decorative craft produced a range of desk and storage objects in a strictly geometric language drawn from Art Deco. Hammered silvered metal, ebonized wood, and precise construction are its consistent markers. This rectangular lidded box stands on four square metal feet. The body is in hammered silvered metal; the hinged lid is topped by a rectangular ebonized wood handle with a clearly architectural profile. The interior is lined in natural light wood. The underside of the lid is in brass. Likely Italian work, circa 1930. Designer and maker unidentified. Good overall condition for a piece of this age. Even patina across the metal, with light wear consistent with age. Natural patina on the wood handle. Structurally sound, no deformation or missing parts. Dimensions: H 9 cm (with handle) × L 20 cm × W 16 cm.