Measures: 6.5" x 5.5" and appx. 1.25" deep at deepest point.
 
This small porcelain plate, with its vibrant, hand-painted florals and iridescent luster glaze, is a striking example of early 20th-century export ware produced by Meito China in Nagoya, Japan. The backstamp—featuring a stylized crown and the words Hand Painted Made in Japan—dates this piece to the interwar period, most likely the late 1920s to 1930s, a time when Japan was refining its porcelain industry for global audiences.
 
Meito China was part of a broader movement in Japanese ceramic production aimed at Western export markets, especially the United States, during a time of rising interest in Japanese craftsmanship. The company, established under the Nagoya Seito Sho corporation and founded by Kotero Asukai, sought to rival fine European china with its quality and artistic finish. “Meito” translates to “fine” or “noted name,” and their porcelain lines often mirrored European styles—such as Limoges or English bone china—while incorporating Japanese hand-painting techniques and modernist motifs.
 
This particular plate reflects the influence of the Art Deco movement, which favored symmetry, stylized florals, bold color blocking, and geometric abstraction. The strong black line work and petal patterning in cobalt and coral tones sit within softly waved edges—an echo of both Japanese naturalism and Deco flair. The use of lustrous glaze, likely a pearlized or opalescent overglaze, was popular during this period and added a touch of glamour meant to appeal to American tastes during the Roaring Twenties and Great Depression eras.
 
Japanese export porcelain like this was sold in fine department stores and through catalogs in the U.S., often purchased as affordable luxury or gifted as part of a formal tea or dessert service. Today, pieces like this carry not just aesthetic value, but also tell a story of cultural exchange, economic ambition, and evolving style between East and West.
 
This piece exhibits some wear of the finish at the highest points.