Two octagonal deep saucer dishes, upturned edge. Decorated in underglaze blue, iron-red and green. Inside each of the eight side panels a decoration consisting of a circle on a blue ground containing alternately a fish-scale motif and a flying phoenix. Around the circles to fill the corners a three-fold motif reserved in white. The rim with parallel diagonal lines and crested-wave motifs. The centre is undecorated. On the outside in the side panels a similar circle with three-fold motifs in blue, filled alternately with fish-scale motifs in green and cash motifs in iron-red. On the base the six-character mark Jiajing in a circle. Brown rim. The decoration places these dishes in the group known as kenjo Imari (presentation Imari). This group is characterised by its formal decoration, executed here with great restraint. Kenjo Imari developed c. 1700 and was at the height of its popularity at the beginning of the 18th century. Similar formal decorations were also used later, but these lack the strength and quality of the earlier examples and the enamel colours are less exuberant and varied. This type of porcelain was primarily made for the domestic Japanese market and can occasion...