I picked this up at a small antique shop while I was visiting Paris, and at first I thought it was a vintage match striker because of the ridges along the top (running a match along them to strike the match) and the small cup up top (where you might put unused matches). But it has a couple unique features that has me rethinking that...

1. **An interesting metal dome fixture** **underneath** \- mounted just underneath the top cup, on the underside of the item is a metal dome piece, almost shaped like a bell. It's fixed in place and has a small metal screw protruding from it, facing the open bottom.
2. **A metal disc at the base of the top cup** \- the same metal from the internal dome appears to also go into the bottom of the top cup, where there is a small fixed metal circle sitting at the bottom. It's not an opening or removable - just a fixed metal contact point. I imagine if something hot like a candle was placed under the metal dome, the heat would go through to this metal base at the cup?
3. **Unique opening at the back of the base**  \- around the ceramic body there are decorative shaped cutouts, almost like clovers. Most are matching and symmetrical, but one cutout has a noticeably larger, more accessible opening.
4. **There's a small circular hole below the larger cutout** \- it's about pencil-width, with a small interior ledge inside it, almost like a mounting point where this piece may have once attcahed to a larger base?

Part of me is wondering if it works how a modern day oil or candle warmer would, with a small tealight candle going undernearth the metal dome and it warming through to the cup on top, where maybe you put perfume or scented oil? Although the metal screw in the underside protrudes quite low, so it would be a tight fit to put a tealight underneath it. The screw would nearly be in the candle. 

Let me know if you have any ideas!!

**More info:**

* Cream/white ceramic glaze on the lower body
* Unglazed ridged texture on the upper collar/cup section
* Decorative cutouts match except for one larger opening
* No maker's mark visible
* Purchased from an antique shop near Versailles, France

Bought what I thought was a Match Striker at an antique shop outside Paris | Has (possible) ridges and cup for matches - but interesting metal accents that have me rethinking!