Japanese Bronze? Charger - age?

I'm assuming Japanese here... Believe it's bronze. 12" across. Weighs 2 1/2 pounds. It has a sibling I will post tomorrow. This one has cranes on the front, and an aesthetic pattern around the border. The base/foot is shaped like bamboo/grass reed. Marked (of course I have no idea what it says) - Meiji period? Older? Newer? Hard to get good pics of the front in artificial light - it is a nice warm golden color. I'll try to get better ones in the morning sunlight. If someone were able to help with the translation of the mark I'd be very ver appreciative. Thanks for any input!

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Charger..?
Looks like a wall hanging.....that once fell off the wall.....

 

Beautiful, aaron.
It looks Japanese to me as well, the style and the design with those cranes and smaller birds. I think Meiji is correct.
Love the bamboo base, the elegant attention to detail. On the back, which is usually not on show.
I agree with komo, it is a wall hanging, with a bit of a dent in the edge. I would gladly have it on display though.
I played a bit with colour and contrast, it came out a bit blotchy, but is this closer to the actual colour?

 

Am I correct in thinking the design was acid-etched onto the piece? I like it (them.). Let us all know if u put up at auction or whatever.

 

It looks like hammer and chisel engraved,but better photos would help.

 

Will get better pictures up as soon as my internet and power comes back on...

 

That is definitely closer to the real color... I'm getting some pictures now in the Sun but won't be able to post until my internet comes back up.

 

I only called it a charger because similar items I found online at auction sites Etc were listed as chargers... clearly it has been hung on the wall ...hence the wire for hanging. The bottom actually is not dented or dinged it just looks like it because of the black felt material I have it sitting on is covering part of it. It does look like the upper right might be slightly bent .,,, that might just be the angle I took the picture at though.

 

Even better. It is a beauty.

 

Okay ... better(I hope) pictures of bronze #1 - still hard to take pics - quite reflective on the front:

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And now the sibling - bronze #2 - which has a couple of small dings on the front - swallows in the reeds.

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And I didn't mention sibling 3 yet, or maybe it's the single parent. It's bigger at 14" across - and weighs almost 5 pounds. Swallows in a willow tree:

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If u want to sell them don’t polish them or you’ll have 7 years of bad luck.

 

They are exquisite.

 

With the new photos they do look like acid etched and a "poured" sand background accents.

 

As far as a bronze or copper/brass piece it is impossible to tell without test.Link to article about Japanese alloys.

https://www.ganoksin.com/article/introduction-japanese-alloys/

 

@Hollyblue Great info thank you!