Vintage Large Painted Black Floral Wooden Gallery Serving Tray 24 Inch

DESCRIPTION

A dramatic vintage circa 1980s wooden gallery tray, approximately two feet across, with a deep black ground richly hand painted in warm gold, ochre, rust, and green florals. Its unusually high sculptural gallery sweeps around the back and sides, incorporating three cutout handles and giving the piece considerably more architectural presence than an ordinary flat serving tray.

WORTH NOTING

• Impressive large-scale vintage gallery tray, approximately 24 inches across.
• Hand-painted floral decoration features large gold-orange blossoms, smaller flowers, berries, scrolling stems, and deeply veined green foliage.
• Deep black ground gives the botanical decoration wonderful contrast and a distinctly traditional, collected appearance.
• High curved gallery rises to approximately 4 inches at the back.
• Three integrated cutout handles include a central oval opening at the back and round openings at either side.
• Sculptural crescent-shaped gallery and curved sides make the tray particularly handsome viewed from the front as well as from above.
• Painted wood construction rather than traditional painted-metal toleware; aesthetically related to the floral tole and traditional decorative revival of the period.
• Surviving paper labels remain on the underside. The labeling is not sufficiently legible to confirm a maker, so the piece is not attributed to Bombay Company.
• Estimated era: circa 1980s, based on the construction, underside labeling, hand-painted black-ground floral decoration, gallery form, and traditional revival styling. Comparable Bombay Company wood serving pieces are documented from the 1980s, including Taiwan production in 1988, supporting the broader period context without establishing this tray's maker.

MEASUREMENTS

Approx. 22-24 in wide × 16-18 in deep × 4 in high at the tallest portion of the gallery.

Measurements are approximate and taken at the widest points.

CONDITION

Good vintage condition with age-appropriate wear consistent with approximately four decades of prior ownership. The black ground and hand-painted botanical decoration retain strong visual presence, with expected surface marks, finish variation, small paint losses, or signs of use possible upon close inspection. Surviving paper labels remain on the underside. Please review photographs closely for the painted surface, gallery edges, handles, underside, and corners.

FROM THE HOUSE

At roughly two feet across, this is not a tray inclined to disappear politely into the background. The high gallery, black ground, and wonderfully abundant flowers give it enough presence for a large ottoman, drinks table, library, or collected tabletop—and enough character that one could quite reasonably decide never to serve anything on it at all.

You'll find other vintage trays, entertaining pieces, and unusual collected objects throughout our storefront. If you're after something particular—a certain period, material, form, or gloriously oversized old serving piece—send us a note. We rather enjoy a specific hunt.

~ Maxwell