Antique Hand-Painted English Fox Hunting Tôle Tray — 22.5” x 16”

CONDITION
Very good antique condition consistent with age and use. Light surface wear, scattered small paint losses, and gentle patina throughout, all of which contribute to the tray’s authentic character and charm. No structural issues. Please refer to photographs for detail.

SIZE
Approximately 22.5” wide x 16” deep.

PROVENANCE
From a private sporting estate in Aiken, South Carolina — a town long associated with equestrian culture, fox hunting, and traditional Southern sporting life.

MAKER
Unmarked; likely English or Continental European, mid-20th century, in the tradition of hand-painted toleware produced for country houses and sporting estates.

MATERIAL
Hand-painted metal (tôle), with a faceted, raised gallery edge and painted interior scene.

WHY WE LOVE THIS
This is a truly special piece.

The tray features a beautifully rendered traditional fox hunting scene — a mounted rider in scarlet, flanked by hounds in full chase, set within an autumnal landscape of soft greens, golds, and warm earth tones. The composition feels both lively and serene, capturing the romance of the sporting life without feeling busy or kitschy.

The octagonal form and gently raised rim give the tray architectural presence, while the painterly brushwork retains a softness that feels collected, not decorative-for-decoration’s-sake. It works equally well styled on a coffee table, ottoman, bar, or console — or simply leaned upright as a piece of wall art.

It is quintessential English country house style — refined, narrative, and quietly luxurious.