Chinese Double Lotus Base

A sturdy little spool of a form, its petals worn gently smooth by time.

This double lotus base is from China. It is marble. The lotus is a central symbol in Buddhist art, where it is generally associated with purity, because the flower rises clean from muddy water. Top is flat and mottled grey and cream, with a braided band underneath and a ring of rounded lobes. The narrow waist leads into a second tier that flares to a plain foot with minor chips. It is 4 inches high and 5.5 in diameter.

It holds its shape and its petals, which is plenty.