Italian 'bronze' gondola

Another metallic mystery. I have a few today. The deck of the boat looks to be bronze. The colour and patina look good. The hull however has a more cupric look and perhaps is coated to look like bronze? A small. A piece has been broken off the bow and where it has broken it is dark like the rest of it. If it was fake I think it would have been paler or shiny perhaps. Any ideas of the age? I would guess more modern if they were to use sneaky tricks such as a dodgy copper hull.

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-bronze-metal-venice-gondola-409045322


It's a funeral gondola

 

Thanks for the info. Going nowhere without an oar. I have seen a lot online described as an ink well. I think you put your ink where the corpse is supposed to be

 

Ashes to ashes, dust to ink

 

My mother had a whole lot of metal incense burners and this sure looks like one of hers. I gave them all to nieces and nephews and who knows where this one is now.

 

It could well be an incense burner too I guess.