19TH C CHINOISERIE ANTIQUE 24" BLACK LACQUERED TEA TRAY, W/HND PNTD GILT FIGURES

Description

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(Circa 1870-1895)
Late 19th century
European
antique hand decorated
chinoiserie
black lacquered furniture, serving tea trays & decorative accessories
DIMENSIONS:
24" Width x 18" Height (sides)
17
1⁄2" center Height x
1 1⁄4" Depth
Weight:
4 lbs. 4 oz.
DESCRIPTION:
There are a few scuffs, minor surface abrasions and a couple of heat ring marks from porcelain ceramic cups containing hot tea, previously resting on the tray along the upper sides, below the raised sill. This wonderful
black lacquered
chinoiserie
large 24" serving tray
is a particularly early one, dating from about
1870-1895.
It was fashioned from
rolled, heavy tin sheeting
and has a distinct, gently pinched upper and lower mid-section. The sides of the tray have built-in, raised hand grasps. The graphic iconography is highly detailed and quite accomplished, with distinct royal, figurative scenes of a man and woman engaged in various activities, one with the queen and emperor in private conversation and another with the queen attending a child and another showing perhaps the emperor in repose, fishing privately.
Cranes, butterflies and other fauna
decorate a serving tray illuminated with bright, reflective gold gilt decorative color, that seems to literally jump off the black lacquered background of the serving tray. It's not entirely perfect but is still an exquisitely decorated artifact and antique piece of
chinoiserie.
Magnificent.
CONDITION:
Good to Very Good overall antique condition.