Antique Japanese bronze shokudai (candle stick for a Buddhist shrine) in the form of a crane standing on a turtle's back. In it's beak, the crane holds a lotus stem with blossoms, buds and unfurling leaves. The different aspects of a lotus symbolize the stages of the Buddha's life. The crane and turtle together symbolize longevity as well as the opposites of Heaven and Earth. This shokudai has especially intricate details.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 15 1/2" high x 7" long x 4" wide