Antique Ornate Fine Brass Calling Card Tray Art Nouveau Jewelry Dish Trinket For Sale

A LITTLE TRAY FROM THE AGE OF CALLING CARDS

Imagine a visitor arriving at the front door, dressed for an afternoon call. If the household was receiving guests, the visit might continue in the parlor. If not, the visitor could leave a calling card: a small, tangible way of saying, “I came to see you.”

This stamped brass tray is well suited to that old custom. Its center shows a mother nursing her baby, surrounded by flowing drapery and a stylized pitcher. A bold, scalloped border gives the small piece a striking outline.

THE WORLD OF VICTORIAN CALLING CARDS

A calling card was a social introduction, not quite the business card we know today. It might carry only a name, or a name and home address. Some women’s cards also gave the day they received visitors. A telephone number was not the point of the card; the ritual centered on visiting a person’s home.

Sizes varied. Women’s calling cards were often broader and taller than the narrow cards carried by men, and a tray could hold several cards left by callers. The cards themselves could be restrained and elegant or wonderfully decorative. A visitor might leave one after finding the family out, or as a gesture of congratulations or condolence. In a world of formal calls and handwritten notes, even a small piece of cardstock could say a great deal.

At 5½" long × 3⅞" wide, this tray could have served as a calling card receiver; Whatever first rested in it, the tray is ready for a new role as a jewelry dish, ring tray, coin tray, key catchall, or place for small keepsakes.

DETAILS & CONDITION

• Stamped brass with raised mother-and-child imagery
• Scalloped border
• Measures 5½" L × 3⅞" W
• Warm aged color, surface wear, darker tones in the relief, and scattered green patina

Please review the photos closely for condition. The nursing scene gives this little tray a warmth and personality that make it just as appealing empty on display as it is holding everyday treasures.