A diving kingfisher, a swimming fish, a hovering butterfly, and a bit of aquatic grass are isolated in a pure white field. Only their placement and a few blue lines suggesting the water level of a pond unite the elements into a cohesive scene. Overall the effect is stark and abstract. Beautifully selected enamel colors complete the transfer printed outlines of each element.

In 1867 Frenchman Felix Bracquemond created a revolutionary pattern featuring images that appeared to be clipped from Japanese prints and randomly placed on a plain white ground. Two years later W.S. Coleman copied the concept for Minton's "Naturalist" service, considered the first major incursion of the Japanese aesthetic into British tableware. While firmly rooted in the Japanese craze of the time, the abstract quality of the pattern gives it a timeless quality that fits well into much more modern decorating schemes.