Ok, "it's just a base."  The whole concept of which is either silly, or cool, depending on your point of view.
 
But assuming you in the "cool" camp, you probably have noticed that virutally all the Pavoni bases you've seen sold in the US were black plastic.  
 
Not this one.  
 
Brought back on a honeymoon trip from Milan, many years ago (not by me!) and that's they only reason it has surfaced here in California.  
 
There's a little patch of corrosion on lower left of the "main" area looking down at the top, but the rest is in nice shape.   (The "knock box" drawer is black plastic.)  
 
Perhaps the perfect "weddling gift" for the Pavoni geek in your life, ha!
 
No matter which side of the fence you come down on about the practicality of these, it's probably the only chrome base you'll come across in the US any time soon, and probably the only one we'll ever have on Voltage110!