This pattern, known as « Serviço dos Pavões » or « double peacocks Service », is one of the most famous design in Chinese Export Porcelain, specially in Portugal and Brazil.
The royal family of Portugal owned one service with it. When Napoleon invaded Portugal, The King Joao VI, soon Emperor of Brazil, fled in exile to Brazil and brought his six Chinese porcelain services with him, including this one. The royal and imperial family used it then at the Paço de São Cristóvão and at Fazenda Imperial de Santa Cruz.
It is known as the “viajante” service because, it first travelled from China to Portugal, and then from Portugal to Rio de Janeiro. When the Empire turned into the Republic of Brazil, the six Chinese porcelain services of the Joao VI were scattered through auctions held in 1890 by the auctioneer Joaquin Dias dos Santos in Rio de Janeiro. Since the archives of the auction house burned, it is now impossible to distinguish the pieces formerly owned by the King Joao VI from the pieces with this pattern produced at the same period.