Serve Your Holiday Appetizers and Desserts On Hand Painted Vintage Tole Trays

Tole Trays Add Color During the Holidays

This holiday season ,consider serving your guests delicious appetizers and desserts on colorful hand painted vintage tole trays. Or use these attractive works of art as lovely festive wall decor.

To preserve the artist painted surface, it would be wise to cover the surface with clear plastic wrap or a piece of plexi glass.

History of Tole Trays
Tole is a French word referring to the decorative art of painting on metal-ware. Early trays (18th and 19th centuries) were called Tea boards or tea trays and were painted by a “paintress” using a “one stroke method”. These trays were painted black, often with a floral decoration hand painted or stenciled on. This form of decorative art was revived during Colonial times in New England as people often “dressed up” tin ware.

The Nashco Products Company
From the 1920’s -1950’s, The Nashco Products Co. of New York City produced numerous hand-painted tea trays in a variety of colors. You will often see colors of Chinese red, black, Wedgewood blue, sage green, cream, pink etc in a variety of shapes.

Nashco also produced bowls and vanity trays. Often the artist who painted the tray signed the piece. Nashco has an oval, silver and black paper label with block lettering. Tole trays are favorite collectible for Romantic cottage collectibles. Some collectors use their trays and others love to hang them up on a wall creating interesting wall décor.

The Value of Tole Trays
Prices continue to climb and you will see a full range of values on these items when you are out and about shopping. Condition is everything. Note scratches, paint missing, worn spots, rusting, warped trays. Most trays I have seen in New England are priced between $28.00 – 75.00.

You will find more about tole trays in my book, Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

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