A French silver-mounted Imari porcelain bowl, cover and stand, the porcelain, Japan, circa 1700, the silver mounts, Paris, 1717-1722

From 1659, Japan's fledgling blue and white export industry flourished. However, it was Japan's innovative, colourful wares that provoked a European frenzy in the 1680s. Two distinct enamelled wares were developed by the VOC, a delicate Kakiemon style and a bolder Imari style. Production peaked from 1690 through 1725, but faced with cheaper Chinese exports, trade ceased by 1745. Western demand continued, especially for Kakiemon, prompting European potters to imitate these wares. Imari wares are bold and ostentatious, characterized by dense patterns. Typically, the Imari palette includes underglaze blue, iron-red enamel and gold. The term Imari derives from the name of the port near Arita from where porcelain was transhipped to Nagasaki for sale to Chinese and Dutch merchants. The 'Chrysanthemum', a frequent motif, symbolized autumn and was the crest of the Imperial family. Though sophisticated wares in authentic Japanese styles were being made at Arita for the fastidious home market, European–style designations of Arita porcelain were formed after blue and white kraak porcelains, imitating Chinese underglaze "blue-and-white" wares, or made use of enamel colours over underglases of cobalt blue and iron red. The ware often used copious gilding, sometimes with spare isolated sprigged vignettes, but often densely patterned in compartments. There were two quite different styles in these wares.