Salt and pepper shakers. Black and red transfer with gilding. Printed maker's mark for Bates, Gildea & Walker. The painted "A9427" is the pattern number. The pattern name "Formosa" might refer to the old Portuguese name for Taiwan or could simply refer to the word itself, which means "beautiful." The pattern consists of a gray sheet pattern of stylized flowers. Superimposed over that are cartouches and flowers. On one shaker there is a fan-shaped cartouche depicting a crane or heron with a worm in its beak, standing in water surrounded by cattails. Beneath the cartouche are daisy-like flowers. On the other shaker are two overlapping cartouches, one round the other rectangular, filled with stylized flowers. Beneath this grouping is a prunus branch with flowers and buds. Each shaker has two simple gilded lines around the top.

In 1878 James Gildea joined the partnership of Bates & Walker. In 1881 Bates left the partnership and Gildea & Walker continued together. In 1885 James Gildea continued the business alone.