Owl Trinket Dish in Brass with Chased Feather Decor, in the Style of Mauro Manetti, Italian Work, 1970s

This zoomorphic trinket dish depicts an owl in brass whose slightly hollowed body forms the receptacle. The head with large ringed eyes, the powerful beak and the wing with scaled plumage are treated in fine, lively chasing, while the bird rests on a stylized ringed branch. The contrast between the smooth, patinated surfaces of the belly and the engraved work of the feathers gives the object all its relief. This decorative bestiary in gilded metal, both figurative and stylized, belongs to the Italian production of the 1970s and invites a comparison with the spirit of Mauro Manetti, the Florentine silversmith known for his sculptural tableware objects, including the famous fruit-shaped ice buckets. Condition report: Good overall condition. Brass with a contrasted golden-brown patina, natural surface oxidation contributing to the character of the object. A trinket dish full of presence for an entrance, a desk or a coffee table.