A highly decorative and finely worked pair of Japanese Satsuma vases from the late Meiji period, signed Kinzan, one of the respected names associated with quality Satsuma production for the export and collector market. The pair is decorated in the celebrated Thousand Butterflies pattern, a particularly attractive and labour-intensive Satsuma design in which the entire surface is animated by countless butterflies and small winged forms, enriched with gilt detail and delicate polychrome enamels.The vases have a strong baluster form with flared necks, gilt rims, raised mask-form side handles and a dense cream-glazed crackle ground. The decoration is exceptionally full, with large gilt-highlighted butterflies set among a cloud of smaller insects and repeated wing motifs. This creates a shimmering surface effect under changing light, making the pair highly successful as a visual feature in an interior.The bases carry the Satsuma mark and Kinzan signature beneath the Shimazu crest, c...