Each of the monumental vases takes an ovoid form, and is decorated with trees, birds and flowers, all set on a blue ground. They are decorated using the cloisonne enamelling technique, which involves applying enamel paste into areas, called cloisons, which are marked out by fine wires applied to the surface of the vase. The Japanese Meiji period in the late 19th Century, from which these vases date, is often referred to as the 'Golden Age' of Japanese cloisonne enamelling because of the beauty and high quality of many of the enamel pieces made in this period.
