The vase has a copper body with an applied rim and base plate, both of which have been enamelled over. Within the foot-ring there is an unenamelled circular ring on which the vase would have been stood during the firing process. The vase is unusual in that it is enamelled in a palette reminiscent of Dutch Delft pottery. The shape of the vase, which is also found in Delft ceramics, has a distinctly Chinese quality; the thickly applied musen shaded blue and white enamel decoration of floral motifs and geometric patterns are not, however, of Chinese origin, nor are they obviously European. The inner foot-ring carries the mark of the Inaba Company of Kyoto. The vase can be dated to around 1920 (private communication with Mr Inaba Katsumi). It is not clear whether this rather exotic vessel was intended for the Japanese or foreign market. The associated box for this piece carries the signature and seal of the Inaba Cloisonné Company.