Delft Style Tray Appraisal

Vintage Blue and White Delft-Style Decorative Metal Gallery Tray

This item is a circular decorative tray featuring a central ceramic or porcelain insert with a blue transferware scene. The illustration depicts children in traditional Dutch attire, including a boy and girl walking hand-in-hand, rendered in a monochrome cobalt blue on a creamy white background, characteristic of Delftware aesthetics. The outer rim consists of an intricate, pierced gallery made of a dark gray openwork metal, likely pewter or a patinated pot metal, featuring a repeating geometric lattice or quatrefoil pattern. The construction shows a marriage of a durable ceramic surface secured within an ornate metallic frame. In terms of condition, the metal rim displays significant surface oxidation and a dull, aged patina, suggesting it has not been polished for some time. The central tile shows fine surface crazing and minor staining consistent with age, likely dating from the early to mid-20th century. There are no visible maker's marks on the face, though such marks are often found on the underside of the tile or the base of the metal frame. The quality suggests a mass-produced decorative home goods item from the European revival period.