This Chelsea teapot is decorated in the style of Japanese Kakiemon porcelain, in which red often dominated the palette of enamel colors. Kakiemon was widely imitated in Europe, notably by the Meissen factory in Germany, Chantilly in France, and Chelsea in England. While the British versions of Kakiemon were once thought to be based on German adaptations, it now appears that some examples were copied directly from Japanese originals.