8" Tibetan Temple Brass Bat & Plum Blossom Vase

This 8" Tibetan temple bottle vase is one of those pieces that reveals more the closer you look. At a distance, it reads as a slender brass form with a quiet glow. Up close, bat and plum blossom motifs begin to emerge, their lines worked into the metal like a whispered blessing.

In Chinese symbolism, bats (蝠, fú) are a pun on “good fortune,” while plum blossoms stand for resilience and renewal — the first flowers to open in late winter’s cold. Together on this old brass vase, they turn the piece into a compact emblem of blessing and endurance.

The proportions are elegant: a rounded body rising into a narrow neck, perfect for a single branch, a few dried stems, or nothing at all. Styled on a console, altar, or bookshelf, it brings in just enough shine and pattern to catch the eye without crowding the space.

Details

• Size: 20 cm high × 7 cm long (approx. 10.2 × 2.8 in; width not specified)
• Weight: 0.9 kg (including packing materials)
• Materials: Old bronze/brass
• Origin: China