The word \u2018toleware\u2019 is derived from the French term t\u00f4le peinte du lac (\u2018taule\u2019 was an early French word for table) which means painted and lacquered sheet metal. <\/p>
Traditionally, British toleware tends to be painted black, emulating Japanese and Chinese designs. \u2018In the 18th century, a lot of black and red toleware was produced in America, too,\u2019 reveals Rachel. <\/p>
\u2018French toleware is often green, blue or yellow, whereas in Italy more gilding and gold were used.\u2019 <\/p>
Today, toleware trays, jugs, neoclassical Regency-style urns and tea canisters are all highly collectable. \u2018Tea canisters were painted in different colours \u2013 often black, red or green \u2013 sometimes with beautiful chinoiserie designs and numbers on them depending on which blend or type of tea the tea merchant was storing in them,\u2019 says Rachel. <\/p>
\u2018We prize them now as decorative items but they were made very much as utilitarian pieces \u2013 designed to be moved on and off shelves.\u2019 <\/p>
In her own home, Rachel has a beautiful painted toleware tray she treasures and would never sell. \u2018It\u2019s hung on the wall like a picture,\u2019 she says. \u2018Don\u2019t be frightened of displaying trays this way \u2013 in a group they look fantastic. If you\u2019ve got a really special one, you could hang it over a bedhead with a lamp each side so the light catches it. Use them as works of art because, really, that\u2019s what they are.\u2019 <\/p>
The best examples sell at auction for thousands. In January 2022, Christie\u2019s New York sold a red-painted toleware octagonal tray made in Pennsylvania c1830 for $6,875 (\u00a35,661). <\/p>
You can expect to pay between \u00a3200 and \u00a32,000 for an 18th-century toleware tray in good condition. \u2018Most importantly, buy something that you love,\u2019 advises Rachel. \u2018Don\u2019t buy it for its value; buy it because you love it.\u2019 <\/p>
Dealers in toleware warn potential buyers to be wary of reproductions and older pieces that have been overly restored. <\/p>
\u2018It\u2019s such a shame when people try to repaint or touch things up,\u2019 sighs Rachel. \u2018I think pieces look nicer when they are not \u2018restored\u2019 and have a bit of wear and tear. \u2018If toleware is revarnished it becomes a bit bling-tastic and it doesn\u2019t really work \u2013 the charm is in the original worn patina,\u2019 Rachel continues. \u2018There are plenty of toleware reproductions available because they were popular in the 1980s, but we\u2019re only into the originals.\u2019<\/p>\n Fanciful toleware wall lights and chandeliers, mostly from France, Italy and Germany, are enjoying a revival at the moment. <\/p> Leading interior designers such as Rachel Chudley and Matilda Goad have used them in their chic schemes and, if the style mavens think they\u2019re kitsch enough to be cool, they probably are. <\/p> Tessa Harris and Jakub Blackman of Shiny Things London buy and sell toleware lights from their Crystal Palace base. <\/p> \u2018They peaked in popularity between the 1930s and the 1950s,\u2019 explains Tessa. \u2018They were still being made up until the 1980s, but the later ones were often sprayed instead of hand-painted and you can see the difference in quality.\u2019 <\/p> Quirky and conspicuous, this is toleware at its most flamboyant. Chandeliers and sconces are draped with gaudy fruits and flowers \u2013 cherries, lemons, apples, pears, grapes, roses, pineapples, daisies, strawberries \u2013 or festooned with ivy, retro palm leaves or delicate scallop shells. <\/p> They\u2019re unabashedly twiddly and fiddly, a joyous celebration of the \u2018more is more\u2019 aesthetic. \u2018They\u2019re lighthearted and charming \u2013 playful \u2013 and a lot of designers around at the moment don\u2019t take themselves too seriously,\u2019 points out Tessa. <\/p> \u2018American interior designer Meta Coleman loves them. She\u2019s bought quite a few pieces from us recently.\u2019 <\/p> Jakub says toleware lights are now growing so popular that they\u2019re becoming increasingly difficult to source. \u2018We bought our first one \u2013 a lemon chandelier \u2013 about a year and a half ago on a buying trip in France. It was snapped up instantly. Next, we found a pair of flower sconces which we got electrified. We put them up online and the same thing happened.\u2019 <\/p> Italian ones are often gilded with trailing leaves or ornate golden sheaves of wheat, whereas French creations tend to be more colourful, with hand-painted floral or fruit designs. <\/p>\n Toleware candle sconces are mostly sold in pairs and start at about \u00a3350. A pair of toleware wall lights tend to cost a bit more \u2013 around \u00a3450 \u2013 as they have to be wired and tested. <\/p> Large chandeliers often came with two matching wall sconces, so a complete trio \u2018set\u2019 sometimes turns up. Some designs \u2013 such as mid-century hot air balloon chandeliers \u2013 are now extremely rare. <\/p> LCT Home has a stunning 1950s example in stock for \u00a31,100. \u2018Beautiful toleware pieces are as relevant today as when they were first created,\u2019 says Rachel Hobson. <\/p> \u2018In our mass-produced world, we appreciate anything that\u2019s handmade, painted with love and beautifully designed and executed.\u2019<\/p> From hat boxes to sconces, this antiques portal offers a wide range. decorativecollective.com <\/a><\/p> Run by the Antiques Roadshow\u2019s Lisa Lloyd, this emporium of delights sells everything from furniture and garden ornament to curios. handofgloryantiques.com<\/a><\/p> Mother-and-daughter team with a great eye for decorative antiques, including exceptional examples of Self-proclaimed specialists in the extraordinary, LCT Home\u2019s stock does not disappoint: from beautiful Search by room or style and find yourself tempted by an unexpected array of decorative antiques and Theatrical, eclectic and entertaining, Old Stock Antiques is full of surprises, from the 19th to the 20th centuries. oldstockantiques.co.uk<\/a><\/p> As the name suggests, this is the place to go for pretty, shiny, gilty treats. Also a great source of charming furniture. shinythingslondon.co.uk<\/a><\/p> Reliable source of antique and vintage furniture and decorative items. vinterior.co<\/a><\/p> Impressive online antiques portal giving access to dealers around the world. 1stdibs.com<\/a><\/p> ![\"toleware\"](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2023\/08\/010-SHINY-THINGS-LONDON-KL_preview-768x1024.jpg?fit=768%2C1024\")
![\"toleware\"](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2023\/08\/015B-LCT-Home-2-KL_preview-1024x1024.jpg?fit=800%2C800\")
Where to buy toleware<\/h2>
Decorative Collective<\/h3>
Hand of Glory Antiques & Interiors<\/h3>
Hobson May Collection<\/h3>
LCT Home<\/h3>
Lorfords<\/h3>
Old Stock Antiques<\/h3>
Shiny Things London<\/h3>
Vinterior<\/h3>
1stDibs<\/h3>
More from Homes & Antiques<\/h2>