While Masons "Peacocks" pattern typically features a pair of birds, this lozenge shape desert dish depicts a single fellow who appears to have just caught site of an adversary who may pose a threat to his garden domain. (Anyone familiar with real peacocks knows they are always ready to loudly take alarm!)

Typical of the spontaniety always present in Mason's Japan patterns, decoration starts with daubs of blue--dark cobalt and a lighter shade--knit together with quick strokes from the artist's brush.  The whole design pivots around the alert peacock and adjacent garden balustrade.  A closer look at the quickly executed brush strokes of peach and red which knit the tableau together amplify the sense of comic conflict about to take place.  

A chaotic border tangle of  quickly executed blossoms, leaves and vines set against alternating fields of light blue and white, along with the elaborate scallops and relief details of the molded blank, reinforce the whimsy and playful disorder of this pattern.

Seekers Antiques has known this pattern by a variety of names over the years, most frequently labelled either "Phoenix," or "Golden Phoenix." The only published reference we had was an unidentified illustration in one of Godden's books on Mason's Ironstone. A recent review of the 2003 auction listing of the collection of the late Valerie Howard, prominent Masons dealer from London, however, uncovered two pieces identified as "Peacock." Assuming that these pieces were identified by Ms. Howard -- and not the auction house -- we are now using "Peacocks" as the pattern name.

Additional pieces in "Peacocks" include a 12 1/2 inch platter--shown in the final photo--and a three piece soap dish.