This is a vintage serving tray. This piece is used to set other things inside of it. I purchased this tray in 2012 from Value Village. I imagine this came from the estate of someone who has passed. These types of items at the time were widely available at thrift stores.
The sticker on the bottom tells me that this tray was sold from Zellers Canada and was manufactured in China. This tray is made of silver-plated steel and was most likely pressed and plated. I found out this piece is actually called a “gallery tray.” Gallery trays are named for their lip or ridge, which was called a ‘gallery.’ They were trays made in either wood or metal, with higher sides than the traditional tray. This provides more security, preventing items being carried from slipping or tipping off the surface of the tray.
I think I bought this for $5. I looked up gallery trays online, trying to find this exact version, but couldn’t locate it. I saw similar items sold from places like Walmart & Staples with similar trays starting at $70. Some silver-plated trays are on eBay for over $300, but it looks like they are from England. Loblaws is selling an almost identical version for $107. The cost of owning this tray has been $0.44 per year.
When I purchased this tray, I built up my side hustle: Mehker. I was attending craft shows and looking for unique display items that would help showcase the things I was making. I specifically wanted items with some character and reminders of women’s past lives. I had a pillow line names after women born in the 1960s, and this piece spoke to me as something they would have grown up in their homes.
This tray doesn’t remind me of a person but of a time when I was into collecting “grandma-style” pieces. It makes me feel like I have good energy in my home. It had a past life that was hopefully filled with friends and merriment. This piece doesn’t hold much sentimental value, so I’ll most likely donate it back to Value Village when I finish with it. I am not the biggest fan of the perforation pattern on this tray. It is a victorian-style pattern, where I typically like more atomic-age styling. Keeping this tray dust-free has been a hassle. Unfortunately, I don’t actively use it other than for displaying things in my home, so it tends to collect a lot of fo dust just sitting around. I typically dust this when I’m cleaning the living room. I have never polished this, but I bet it would look nice.
This tray was used at the first pop-up craft market that I attended in Toronto. I had this tray on a small metal & glass table. It housed my business cards and monopoly necklaces that I had crafted for sale. I like that I customized it by adhering some of my vintage silk scarf material to the inside. It’s a fairly decent-sized tray that can hold a bunch of things. I like that I customized this piece. I have kept it around because it’s handy to keep loose objects in while looking interesting. I like that it isn’t shiny and new; the age gives it some character. This tray currently lives on top of my stereo and under my tv in my living room. I needed a place to wrangle all of my remotes for electronics, and I thought this was an elegant way of doing that. It has since become a dumping ground for items I can’t seem to find a good place for.
Material Appreciation 