A series of separate oriental floral vignettes wraps the body and lid of this paneled lidded vase. In these panels, Masons supplements their traditional imari palette of cobalt, orange and gilt with pink and pale green enamels. Gilt highlighting is generous throughout the florals of the panels, becoming even more prominent in the outline of each panel, finishing edges, and the pine-cone finial. We especially like the heavy gilt outline setting off the hand-painted fields of fretwork surrounding the neck of the jar and the flange of the lid.

Gaye Glake Roberts in Mason's: The First Two Hundred Years illustrates a pair of these hexagonal vases and covers (p. 57). The decoration of this piece underscores the oriental sources of Masons inspiration, reminding one of a particularly rich oriental screen. One note: we were especially intrigued by the little pink bird perched near the edge of one panel. One finds his relatives popping up many times in the fine English porcelain of the first quarter of the nineteenth century by such major manufacturers as Coalport, Worcester and Spode.