Octagonal dish on footring, spreading sides. On the base three spur-marks. Imari, decorated in underglaze blue, iron-red and gold with flowering peonies near a rock, two birds in the branches. Surrounded by a band with flower sprays. Each of the sides with an open-worked medallion enclosed by flower and foliate scrolls and bulging panels with phoenixes. On the reverse large blue foliate scrolls. Around the foot a spiral band in red. Unlike their Chinese counterparts, Japanese potters were keen to use angular and irregular shapes, a feature that contributed greatly to the exclusivity of Japanese porcelain in the West. Such octagonal dishes with open-worked sides are known in several variations (Jörg). They were also imitated in Europe. The open-worked sides may have been inspired by Chinese Wanli and transitional porcelain.