Antique Art Deco Middletown Square Silver Plate Bar Serving Vanity Tray 11"

Description

Late 19th century hard white metal quadruple plate serving tray by Middletown Plate Company. Numbered 63 and 10 on reverse. Square form with cut corners, etched geometric design at center; floral and foliate edge.

"MIDDLETOWN PLATE CO - Middletown CT - Business started circa 1860-1864 by Edward Payne and Henry Bullard, making Britannia and plated ware under the name of Payne. As of 1894 the company had an exclusive agent of their wares in New York, Mr J.W. Johnson, for thirty years, carrying "the largest and finest assortment of all grades of silverware to be found in New York. The Middletown Plate Company have long been justly celebrated for the elegance and superiority of their productions. They have been engaged in the industry for the past thirty-five years and are thus specially qualified for success therein, bringing to bear ample resources, perfected facilities and expert management. They are noted for the beauty and originality of their designs, the most desirable and popular known to the trade, and all wares stamped with their name attest their purity and excellence. They manufacture full lines of tableware and ornamental articles, including tea and coffee sets, urns, ice pitchers, trays and salvers, cups and spoons, knives and forks, and n vast variety of ornamental articles for decorative purposes. The management is enterprising and progressive, fully sustaining their high reputation, and affording the American public the equal of the finest Hall marked wares of England, at the lowest prices commensurate with quality." The company was taken over in 1899 by International Silver Co and production transferred to the Wilcox Silver Plate Co factory. Employees who chose not to go to Meriden organized the Middletown Silver Co., which was bough eventually by R. Wallace & Sons, Wallingford, Connecticut. Middletown had a secondary trademark, Superior Silver Co., which was used on a less expensive line by Wilcox Silver Plate Co., until 1941. The Middletown Plate Co. trademark was also continued by International Silver until 1921." (Art Design Cafe / Silver Collection / 925-1000)

Condition

Good Overall - Tarnish;scrapes

Dimensions

10.75" x 10.75" x 0.5" (Width x Depth x Height)