The surviving pieces in this set are decorated in the Mandarin style popular at the turn of the 19th century. They depict images of high-ranking bureaucrats of the Chinese Empire, known as Mandarins, surrounded by panels of flowers and other ornamental designs. The coloring of this set is typical for the period with a combination of vibrant orange, purple, iron red, and strong green over an under glaze of blue. Chinese export remained popular through the 19th century; by the end of the century, the traditional blue-and-white porcelain became collectible and emblematic of the colonial era.
