A bird perches on a branch, its attention caught by a cluster of blossoms; this spontaneous natural view forms the only decoration of this Mintons salad plate; a printed border would be wholly superfluous. The earth tones of the carefully enameled plummage contrast pleasingly with the pastel colors of the blossoms and foliage. The asymmetrical composition fills the surface of an octagonal plate.

We think of the Japanese influence on aesthetic movement ceramics in terms of highly stylized designs, fretwork ground patterns and specifically Japanese motifs. Yet another ceramic strain of the time shows the influence of Japanese prints with spontaneous views of nature that abandon traditional composition for odd angles and unconventional placement on the plate. In this vein, "Essex Birds" is the airborn equivalent of Minton's watery "Aquarium" series.

Mintons offered "Essex Birds" with both round and shaped plates and with different tonal combinations of enamels