The heavy copper bodies of these vases have applied blackened silver rims and base plates. The bodies have the pale grey ground so favoured by Sosuke and which is found on many of his pieces of this period. The elegant design of chrysanthemums has been executed in a free and natural manner in gold (or possibly brass) and silver yusen and shosen enamels. There is some superb naturalistic shading and modelling on the petals and leaves. The counter-enamel of both vases is of a matt dark brown colour. This is also to be found inside their bases, which carry the silver yusen Sakigake seal of Namikawa Sosuke.
The way in which the designs of the two vases complement each other when placed side by side suggests that they were intended to be displayed as a pair. See Fairley, Japanese Enamels of the Meiji Era nos. 67 and 68 for vases in a similar palette.