Tray or stand (Salver)

Description

As early as the 1690s, manufacturers in Wales developed a protective coating for the newly developed material of tinned sheet iron. By baking layers of opaque varnishes of asphaltum (black/brown bituminous resin) and other colorants in a linseed oil medium, they created rich, dark surface coatings for metals. This process was generically called "japanning" in English, a term inspired by the look of desirable imported Asian lacquerwork. Merchants soon applied the term to colorful, painted tinware. The black, red, and golden brown varnishes in the ground of this tray imitate the look of exotic tortoiseshell. The decorator painted an idyllic shepherdess in a whimsical Asian landscape to appeal to customers seeking the look of costly imported Chinese wares. Related waiters and salvers are in the National Museum of Wales collection.