Although these three vases do not constitute a set as such, the designs on one side are so similar in terms of colour scheme and layout that they have been grouped together here. The bodies are of copper and each has an applied gold rim, inner neck-ring and base plate. The central panels in the first illustration are decorated with butterflies and summer and early autumn flowers in silver and gold yusen enamels on a mottled brown ground. The flowers on the larger, central vase include pink hollyhock and what would appear to be form of Sorbus (Mountain Ash) with red berries. The flowers on the smaller vases have not been positively identified but may include a type of aster. The larger vase has formal shippo motifs surrounding the central panel. The panels of each of the vases are surrounded by stylised flowers in yusen enamels on a coloured enamel ground with areas of chakinseki. Designs very similar to the central panels can be found on pages 148 to 150 of the Kyo Shippo Monyo-shu. All three vases have Namikawa's mirror-black ground. The lids (which have solid gold knobs in the form of lotus buds), shoulders, and lower sections of each of the vases have finely applied yusen coloured enamels depicting stylised flowers and geometric formal panels. Parts of the ground of the upper areas of the vases are executed in chakinseki.

The central panels shown in the second illustration are quite different. While the two smaller vases continue the theme of late summer or early autumn (with flowers such as chrysanthemum and gentian) on a sombre speckled brown ground, the panel of the larger vase is quite different. Here we see the mythical Ho-o (phoenix) on a dark cream, slightly speckled ground. The Ho-o is superbly fashioned in silver and gold yusen polychrome enamels with chakinseki details, and is surrounded by Hosoge flowers and karakusa scrolls. The bird seems almost to float within the panel and is far less formal in execution than other examples of Ho-o produced by Namikawa, for example the designs on pages 123-124 of the Kyo Shippo Monyo-shu.

The engraved, rather formal signatures on the smaller vases read Namikawa Zo (made by Namikawa); the more freely engraved signature on the larger vase reads Kyoto Namikawa Zo (made by Namikawa of Kyoto). The signatures are engraved directly into the base plates on all three vases. See Fairley, Japanese Works of Art, no.42 for a vase by Yasuyuki of different shape but with a central panel of almost identical design to the larger vase. See Meiji no Takara nos. 5 & 6 for two vases decorated with similar designs and colour schemes (no.6 also illustrated in Barry Davies, no.21), Splendors of Imperial Japan no.23 for a pair of jars with a similar design of Ho-o birds.

This description refers to FE.60-2011 and FE.61-2011