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Rectangular tray with gold leaf |
The Gallery tray was oval with a plain or keyhole pierced standing edge, made about the same time as lace edge trays and the same designs are found on them. However, the floor borders were more elaborate. Sometimes double borders were used, one on the edge, and one on the floor, usually a classical design in gold leaf. Scenes and portraits in a medallion were occasionally depicted as well as flower bouquets.
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Rectangular tray with gold leaf |
The Gothic trays, called Chippendale and frequently Pie-crust, were introduced about 1760 and were popular until 1850. The earlier trays can be identified by a flat edge, known as a 'Sandwich' edge. The design was very fine and detailed, but of subdued color, with penwork and gold-leaf scrolls on the border. Occasionally, the border was further embellished by the addition of flowers intermingled with the gold. Beautiful birds and fountains, enriched with underlying layers of gold or silver leaf, adorned the floor, as well as bouquets of flowers. The Gothic trays of the 1800 period had fine gold leaf border designs, but rarely any floor decoration. During the Chippendale revival of 1840-1850, the trays took on new color dimensions. In this period, the designs were enlarged and the colors became much more brilliant. Mother-of-pearl was used profusely by the English decorators due to Queen Victoria's fondness for it.
Rectangular trays were developed around 1760. The earliest type has a horizontal border about one and one half inches
wide. The designs were very fine and intricate, similar to the work on highboys and mirrors. Again, we find fine penwork and gold leaf, as well as the floating color technique on the flowers. The later rectangular trays, with curved corners and borders two and one half to three inches wide, curving outward, remained popular until 1850, and we find all types of decoration on the trays.
The Octagonal trays were made from 1765 until 1820. The early trays had classical gold leaf double borders. The later trays used stencilled borders and had a central landscape medallion painted in natural colors.
Stencilled trays appeared in the United States in 1818 and were popular until 1850. They can be dated by the cutting of the stencils. The modelled leaf was used until 1825. In 1832, veins were cut for the leaves and landscapes appeared. In 1845, stencils were cut in one piece and jagged leaves were much in evidence. In 1850, wet paint was used to speed up the decoration and bronze stencilling went into a decline.
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Double borders stencilled on |
Country tin trays were so called because they were made in this country. Berlin, Connecticut, had the first tin industry about 1780. The trays were usually octagonal with a narrow edge, sometimes pieces together in the center and decorated with simple designs in primary colors. The trays were decorated widely throughout New England, Pennsylvania and New York state.
Decorated furniture has a close relationship to its contemporary decorated tin. The classical influence of the Adam brothers and Angelica Kauffman spread throughout Europe. Sheraton and Hepplewhite decorated their furniture in that manner. Chippendale used many Chinese and Oriental designs to ornament his pieces. The peasant designs from the Scandinavian countries and from the Central European countries, were brought here by early settlers. The dower chests made here were decorated with religious and native design, which had been developed through the centuries in the old country. The designs were painted on soft colors made from vegetables dyes and minerals.
In reproducing old designs from tin, furniture, walls and floors, care should be exercised to study the piece to be decorated as to its origin and date. Not only is it unauthentic to place a late pattern on and early piece, it is similarly poor judgment to have a naive country or peasant design appear on an elegant sophisticate piece.
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