Cruet comprising five small ewers and a salt on a stand with a flat rim, in the centre a conical, hollow stem. On the stand six rings in low relief that keep the containers in place. On the base a wide unglazed firing-ring. The ewers with a domed, spreading foot, an S-shaped spout, a C-shaped handle and a small flat lid with a knob. One lid is perforated. The salt with a spreading foot and shoulder with a concave top. Imari, decorated in underglaze blue, iron-red and gold with scrolls and flowering plants, on the rim cherry blossoms and quails by millet plants. In the centre a karakusa and hosoge (beautiful flower) motif; on the sides half-flowers. On the ewers circles containing the letters A and O (both twice) and S surrounded by carnations, asters and other flowering plants. On the foot flower sprays. On the reverse of the stand a chrysanthemum, a peony and a prunus. This rare set would have had pride of place on contemporary dinner tables. The A stands for 'azijn' (vinegar), the O for 'olie' (oil) and the S for 'soya' (soy). The perforated lid may indicate that this particular ewer also functioned as a pepper pot. It could also belong to a different set. The addition of a s...