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Very nicely painted tinware (sometimes called toleware or tole) mid-19th century platter with an unusual center motif of a maiden kneeling before a fenced house as she arranges flowers in a basket.  It appears that this paint decoration may have been partially done with stencils and partially with free-hand painting.  The house in the background has a bit of a European or English thatched-roof cottage look.  I expect that the piece is English or Continental.  The trees in the background are weeping willows.  The gently curved edge of the tray is decorated with a basket design on both ends and flowers, peaches, strawberries, and leaves on top and bottom.  There is some pitting on the face of the tray, mostly in the fence on the right that look to have had some touch-up painting.  You can see that area in the photos as a bit of a whitish area about mid-way up the fence on the right.  I'm happy to send you larger format photos via email.  Look also at the right edge of the tray shown below this description (two photos down) for the pitted, probably retouched area between the edge of the fence and the curved edge of the tray.  The tray has been attached to a plate hanger for many decades and, frankly, I'm not strong enough to remove without scraping the hanger against the paint on either the top of the bottom edge.  There is some very minor edge wear around the hanger grips and on the edges of the tray, as you can seen in the photos.  However, this is a lovely circa 3rd quarter of the 19th century tray with an unusual motif that displays well.  22" x 16 3/4"  Rolled lip and teardrop hand holes.

(#4037)     $300

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