Pair of vases in baluster-form ornamented at the necks with the Imperial chrysanthemum crest, the right vase with a mountain hamlet in the midst of bamboo, trees and flowers; the left with a lakeside village amid willow, bamboo, and marsh grasses with fishing boats anchored in the background. Of hammered silver, ornamented in extensive katakiribori chiseling, inlaid in different colors of gold, shibuichi, and red bronze, with gilt detailing. Each signed with a chiseled signature on the reverse by the artist: Unno Kiyoshi Kin-koku or Finely Carved by Unno Kiyoshi, and sealed: Jun Gin or Pure Silver (Unno Kiyoshi, 1884 – 1956). Taisho era, circa 1912 – 1920.

With a period, fitted wood storage box, the lid fitted with period glass panels.

Unno Kiyoshi was born the fourth son of Unno Shomin and became famous for the virtuosity of his katakiribori chiseling. He graduated from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1911. From 1917 through 1953 Kiyoshi taught metalwork at his alma mater. He was appointed a Teishitsu Gigei-in or Imperial Court Artist and as well became the director of the Nihon Chokin-kai (Japan Metalworking Association). From 1928 with the establishment of the craft section in the government-sponsored art exhibitions, Kiyoshi became an exhibitor at the Teiten and its successors. When the system was first founded in 1955, Unno Kiyoshi was designated Jūyo Mukei Bunkazai or Important Intangible Cultural Asset (commonly known as a Living National Treasure) in the field of metal engraving. His artwork is in the collections of many museums in Japan, and his legacy both as an artist and a teacher brought metal engraving into the modernist tradition.

Kiyoshi loved to paint with his chisel. These lyrical vases represent an important imperial commission, and the artist lavished time and attention on them, inlaying details and giving full expression to the range of texture and strokes possible with katakiribori. Unusual relief texturing was achieved in some of the trees by inlaying high nodes of metal, and lightly hammering them. This creates the raised, abstract coloration of foliage in two colors of gold, as well as shibuichi and red bronze across the foreground of both vases. Since the willows are in full leaf, it is likely that the scene depicts early summer. The boats roll gently at anchor by the shore-side, the tiled roofs of the town cluster amid the trees, while thatched farm huts nestle in the mountains on the opposite vase.