19th Century Japanese Igezara Transferware Large Dish or Platter

Meiji period (1868-1912) transferware large dish or platter. 
 
Condition: Minor firing flaw, otherwise in excellent condition consistent with age and usage. 
 
Dimensions: Approximately 12¼” diameter.
 
Decoration:
The border is decorated with eight panels of four alternating designs, two of which are geometric patterns and two which are of bamboo and pine or plum trees. 
 
The center is decorated with a circular medallion of trefoil design surrounded by a geometric band.
A plate of this design is illustrated on page 80 of Alistair Seton’s book “Igezara Printed China”.
 
The reverse is decorated with 3 examples of a pattern described by Seton as “Fish and Fishtail at Center, Cleavers at Ends”, and has an old handwritten label. There is also a spur (kiln support) mark from firing, which is typical of this ware.
 
The foot is encircled by three blue bands.
 
The dish is heavily potted, as is the case with Izegara wares.
 
“Igezara" is a term applied to heavy, durable, everyday porcelain produced in Japan from near the end of the Edo Period (mid 1800's) until early Taisho (early 1900's), although the generally accepted period for Igezara wares is 1880 – 1910. 
 
Izegara ware was produced in Arita, Saga in Kyushu, and Gifu. 
 
Unlike fine porcelain like Imari and Kutani that are hand painted. “Igezara" items are transferware, produced by transferring designs initially created on copper plates, similar to transferware produced in Staffordshire England at the beginning of the 19th century.
 
"Igezara" was mass produced for everyday use and made primarily for the Japanese market. Accordingly, it is usually thickly potted so withstand wear and tear of daily use. 
 
Most typically, the pieces have a brown edge around the rim and the rim itself has “pie crust” ridges molded into it.
 
The name "Igezara" comes from two Japanese words:
"Ige" means "notch or thorn" and the term refers to the pie-like indentations often found around the rim of many plates. "Zara" or "sara" means "plate" in Japanese. 
 
Condition: Minor firing flaw, otherwise in excellent condition consistent with age and usage.