A pair of early George III japanned tin trays, probably Birmingham, circa 1765 - 1770


Both painted with sprays of flowers, one with a bird, within foliate gilt borders and lattice-pierced sloping sides with solid corners, 33cm wide x 25cm deep x 2cm high, (12 1/2in wide x 9 1/2in deep x 0 1/2in high) (2)
|Attributed to Birmingham on the basis of their similarity to a (much larger) tray impressed 'BEDFORD' and 'BHAM', described by Yvonne Jones in Japanned Papier Mâché and Tinware, c. 1740 - 1940 (2012), pp. 118 - 120 and Figure 103. Stephen Bedford (d. 1781) was an important japanner in Birmingham, devising a varnish to finish both japanned paper and metal goods.