• A decorative black oval tray with scalloped edges, featuring a hand-painted central scene of a castle by the water surrounded by pink flowers and green leaves. The tray is styled on a white surface with dried pink hydrangeas, a white lace cloth, a small shell, and a green glass bottle against a white wall.
  • A square black decorative tray with scalloped edges, featuring a hand-painted central illustration of a castle by a blue lake, surrounded by pink flowers and green leaves on a white surface.
  • A decorative oval tray with scalloped edges, featuring a painted castle scene and pink floral border, styled on a white surface with a small white shell on top. A pale green glass bottle with dried pink flowers and a stack of cream books tied with twine are in the background.
  • A black decorative serving tray with scalloped edges, featuring a hand-painted central scene of a castle on water surrounded by pink flowers and green leaves, styled on a white surface with seashells and dried flowers.
  • A distressed black ceramic serving tray with scalloped edges, resting on a white surface next to decorative seashells.
  • A hand-painted folk art print or panel featuring a castle and church on a stone wall by a blue lake, framed by a scalloped yellow border and surrounded by pink flowers and green leaves on a dark gray background.
  • A decorative oval tray with a dark navy blue base, featuring a painted coastal scene in the center and a border of pink flowers and green leaves. A small white seashell sits on the tray.
  • A black decorative tray with scalloped edges, featuring a hand-painted illustration of a castle in a lake surrounded by pink flowers and white daisies, displayed on a white surface.
1 9

The Blue Loft

Vintage Canal Art Toleware Tray in Black with Roses and Castle

£30.00
£30.00
Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

A hand painted metal tray in the roses and castles style, the cheerful folk art of England’s working canal boats. In the central roundel, a fairytale castle with red turrets rises above blue water, with an arched stone bridge, a little sailing boat and a pair of birds overhead. A scalloped yellow border frames the scene, surrounded by a garland of pink roses, green leaves and white and blue daisies on a deep black ground.

Roses and castles painting grew up on the narrowboats of the Midlands and southern canals from the middle of the nineteenth century. Boat families decorated every surface of their tiny cabins, from water cans to cupboard doors, to make a cramped home feel bright and welcoming. The motifs were painted quickly with a few confident brushstrokes, and canal painters still keep the tradition alive today. This tray, painted by hand rather than printed, carries on that spirit beautifully, and the castle has the slightly wonky charm that makes folk art so lovable.

The tray measures 30.5 x 24.5 cm, with a raised rim and softly shaped corners. It is a useful size for carrying two mugs and a plate of biscuits, or for gathering perfume bottles on a dressing table. It also looks wonderful propped on a shelf or plate stand as a small painting, or hung on a kitchen wall among painted plates. Pair it with green glass, dried hydrangeas and pale linen, as we have here, or lean into its narrowboat heritage with enamel jugs, brass and lace edged plates for a cosy cottage look.

The painted front is bright and in good vintage condition. The black back shows marks and light scuffs from years of use, which you can see in the photographs. The photographs form part of the description, so do look through them all.

For anyone who has ever stood on a towpath admiring the boats, or has a canal lover to buy for, this is a charming piece of English folk tradition. Browse our trays and decorative pieces to find it some company.
  • Hurry, only 1 item left in stock!
A decorative black oval tray with scalloped edges, featuring a hand-painted central scene of a castle by the water surrounded by pink flowers and green leaves. The tray is styled on a white surface with dried pink hydrangeas, a white lace cloth, a small shell, and a green glass bottle against a white wall.
A square black decorative tray with scalloped edges, featuring a hand-painted central illustration of a castle by a blue lake, surrounded by pink flowers and green leaves on a white surface.
A decorative oval tray with scalloped edges, featuring a painted castle scene and pink floral border, styled on a white surface with a small white shell on top. A pale green glass bottle with dried pink flowers and a stack of cream books tied with twine are in the background.
A black decorative serving tray with scalloped edges, featuring a hand-painted central scene of a castle on water surrounded by pink flowers and green leaves, styled on a white surface with seashells and dried flowers.
A distressed black ceramic serving tray with scalloped edges, resting on a white surface next to decorative seashells.
A hand-painted folk art print or panel featuring a castle and church on a stone wall by a blue lake, framed by a scalloped yellow border and surrounded by pink flowers and green leaves on a dark gray background.
A decorative oval tray with a dark navy blue base, featuring a painted coastal scene in the center and a border of pink flowers and green leaves. A small white seashell sits on the tray.
A black decorative tray with scalloped edges, featuring a hand-painted illustration of a castle in a lake surrounded by pink flowers and white daisies, displayed on a white surface.