Small Early 20th Century Italian Tole Tray w/ Bird and Flowers Decoration - 18" x 13¾"

This small early 20th-century Italian painted tole tray delights with its richly detailed composition and luminous color. Rectangular with rounded corners and a shallow raised lip, it features a deep cobalt-blue ground that sets off a finely hand-painted scene of an exotic bird tending a delicate nest cradling four golden eggs, while reaching toward a fluttering butterfly.  Lush sprays of roses and blossoms in shades of coral, pink, and amber surround the scene, their leaves enlivened with soft green and gold highlights. Gilt foliate scrolls frame the corners and border. Executed on tinplate with a varnished, lacquer-like surface, the tray retains its old-world charm, showing gentle wear, small paint losses, and light rubbing to the gilding consistent with age.

A charming example of Italian toleware, once used for serving tea or cordials, it now lends an inviting note of color and old-world refinement to the home. Whether used to serve refreshments or displayed on a coffee table or wall, it brings a graceful, timeworn beauty to any space.