Double-sided brass comb with curved ends, decorated with chased pattern depicting scenes from the seraglio, Persian, 1801-1910. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. The amount of zinc alters the colour and lowers the melting point of the brass. Up to 10% zinc the brass has a rich red colour, whilst brasses containing 15% zinc have a golden colour. Further amounts of zinc give various yellow colours. Antique copper alloys have often been described as bronzes but modern investigative techniques have revealed that they are, in fact, brasses.The earliest known brass objects date from 1300 BC and are from Asia Minor.