Brazier
A brazier is a vessel for holding embers. Such containers have been used for heating and keeping food warm. The term identifies a heating function, rather than simply describing a decorative dish. In Norwegian, fyrfat commonly denotes a metal vessel of this kind.
Construction and materials
Form and material can vary. The Metropolitan Museum of Art documents a silver brazier by Charles Frederich Kandler, made in London around 1735. This particular example shows that braziers also occur as elaborate silverwork. The museum's date and maker attribution apply to this object, not every similarly shaped container.
Function before style
Examine how the vessel holds embers, recording any feet, handles, separate liners and heat traces. A footed dish may have served a different purpose. An ash receptacle collects residues, whereas a brazier holds embers as a heat source. Record material, joins, marks, repairs and provenance when assessing an older example. Soot or discolouration alone establishes neither age, maker nor original use.
