A plate fired in Seto at the end of the Edo period. It was tableware that appeared in the middle of the 19th century as a successor item to the dish called Ishizara (means stone plate, white glazed thick rimed ware) and has been called the Umanomezara (horse’s eye plate) since the Meiji era.

The iconography of swirls has existed since ancient times, but many of them are associated with water, such as the Tomoe crest. The pattern on the Umanomezara is also thought to be warding off the conflagration and a symbol of the abundance of life.

This type of plate, Umanomezara, is generally a large plate, but this is a rare medium plate size. The condition is generally good, although some minor chips and glaze flakings are seen on the rim. It has the tasteful texture of ageing.