Following the huge success of Stephen's first "in-out" piece (Robins) he followed a year later with Deer. This easily surpassed the first design in technical difficulty, as instead of a simple nest on the inside there is a scene of a fawn being suckled by its mother as she lies in the shade of a tree, making this a truely delightful piece of work.

Externally the piece is also more fully painted than the Robin vase as it features four Chinese Water Deer in a setting of water, reed and pollarded willow.

Chinese Water Deer were introduced into Britain but have now established themselves in the Norfolk Broads and elsewhere. In 2005 it was estimated that there are around 1500 living in the wild in England, which is about a quarter of the entire world population.

Smaller than the native Roe Deer, but without antlers or the white rump, this species is noted for its elongated canine teeth, which can be folded back while grazing but held firm to attack a rival male or predator.