A pair of tall, cylindrical Chinese porcelain vases, each with short, waisted neck and unglazed base. The neck of 1180.2 is shorter. Painted on opposite sides in underglaze blue and famille verte enamels are two four-clawed dragons, one ascending and the other descending, outlined in blue and with yellow or blue heads respectively and red or green manes, having scaly bodies in red and green with black outlines, and between, clouds in blue, red, yellow, green and greyish aubergine, with yellow feet and claws. Between the dragons are sacred jewels among flames. On the necks are bands of rocks and breaking waves. Incised rings create plain bands round the shoulders, below the lip and at the foot.

Text adapted from Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen: Volume I.