hand painted decorative accessories

tolerie butlers tray: trompe l'oeil and marbling

This butlers tray was one of a range of hand painted decorative accessories designed and produced in our Warwickshire studio for Golfar and Hughes of London. The tray is designed to sit on its own table. Various specialist decoration paint effects have been used; faux marble, pietra dura and grisaille trompe l'oeil.
These types of tray have a long tradition, some of the finest hand painted tolerie trays were made at Pontypool in Wales from 1730 until 1820. Early examples were made from tin with sheet steel being used in later years. Specialist decoration techniques can be applied to decorative items, free standing and fitted furniture.