European Tea Picture (?) in tray like frame

Hello - My father was an antique dealer and passed away a couple years ago. He didn't have but a couple months after diagnoses. With that said, he did not have an opportunity to let my mother or myself know what his note worthy inventory was. Mom ran off her memory of things he would say about particular items as he brought them home. We had an estate sale and got rid of everything we believed we're noteworthy. We did however keep some items. I would like to get everyone's thoughts on some of the items but not all are in my possession but rather with my mother.

I'm mostly interested in origins and date timeframe and approximate value. I do not plan to sell items I have but know that once my mother retires, she would be interested in selling items she has.

We had this picture in the estate sale but I found it too interesting to let go. just seems too interesting with the handles on the side but appears to be a hanging picture. Any thoughts on this? The wood on the back has a imprinted stamp that reads "Made In Germany". I'm not convinced the back is original given the corners look like they were covered at one time..

 

The corners probably had something attached to keep it hanging "straight" when on the wall. They used to use leather, but today you can buy rubber things to do the same.

You don't give measurements, but I have a table with a removable glass tray like this (had lace in it once) so that may have been the original use.

 

Good point, I apologize for the measurement omission. It is 11"x7". The size is the reason I questioning it being a tray.

 

In that case, ignore my suggestion that it is the removable top of a tea table! Though there is still a chance it was a dresser tray or the like.....................

 

Many serving trays were actually frames used to show off linen, pictures etc.
Not sure of the popularity time frame. Maybe 1920s or so. @verybrad in case he knows
Your picture looks like an English print, possibly from a book.

 

Welcome, Landon! I love the "frame," but I'm not convinced this was ever "hung." Can you see any place where picture wire (or other hanging mechanism) has been removed?

 

Thanks for the welcome! There are a few very small nail holes randomly around the edge of the frame. The more I look at it, I realize that the nail holes align with the discolored corners. I'm sure they held on the leather (or whatever other material) as someone suggested earlier. I know my father used 2 of those holes to insert tiny nails to hang while in his possession.

 

In looking at the Matting vs picture, I do not see a break that would tell me that they are separate pieces. Could it still be from a book? One of the pictures I posted is a close up of the authors name. it's not legible by the nekkid (in the south here) eye nor is it using a magnifying glass.

 

Picture trays like this were popular from the teens through the 30s. Generally, the picture is a cheap print that has been elevated in status by the tray. Someone may have hung it but generally, they were used as trays. There are earlier ones but they tend to be borderless and the prints inside better quality.

 

Really appreciate all the details on this. Have been wondering about it for a while now. I've also been wanting to remove the back and look at the picture but I'm concerned about removing the 20 tiny screws and a few tiny nails.

 

I wouldnt bother,you can see the dots clearly. It makes a cute tray but a lousy picture.

 

What do the dots indicate? A printing technique?

 

I don't think it's worth removing the picture. It's an as-is type of thing. As Brad said, this is how it was intended.

 

The black is painted on the glass. If the picture is stuck to it and you peel it off, you will peel the black paint off.

 

Dots are often an indication of a halftone printing technique. There is more than one technique that includes the dots. Here is one explanation:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halftone