The dishes are painted in the Kakiemon palette, with a pair of quail in the centre, below an overhanging twisted branch of flowering prunus issuing from rockwork; the scene balanced by a small clump of flowers.
The rim is embellished in iron-red and gilding with a narrow band of floral scrollwork.
The Bow manufactory, which was mainly active from about 1747-1764, frequently copied the highly prized imported Chinese and Japanese wares.
The quail pattern was a well-known traditional Japanese design.
