Antique Japanese Meiji Era c1880's Imari Blue & White Plate Birds Peonies 11"W

Antique Japanese Blue and White Octagonal Porcelain Plate with Birds and Peonies

Meiji Period, late 19th century

Dimensions 9"L x 7.5"W

A finely painted 140 years old Japanese porcelain plate of octagonal form, decorated in underglaze cobalt blue with a classical bird-and-flower composition. The scene features flowering peonies with layered plum blossoms and two birds in flight, rendered with soft tonal washes and confident line work. The composition balances dense floral clusters with open ground, a hallmark of late 19th-century Japanese export and domestic wares.

The reverse is simply decorated with hand-painted line motifs and concentric rings around the foot, showing typical kiln practices of the period. The porcelain body is thin and well fired, with a soft bluish glaze pooling slightly at the foot rim. Brushwork throughout shows variation in pressure and tone, consistent with hand decoration rather than transfer.

Condition: General age-appropriate wear. Light surface marks and minor firing imperfections visible under close inspection. No cracks or repairs observed. Foot rim shows expected kiln grit and glaze thinning from firing.