Hukin & Heath – Aesthetic Movement Oblong Electro-Plated Serving Tray
£280
This electro-plated oblong tray was made by Hukin & Heath around 1880, during a period when the firm produced refined domestic metalwork reflecting the influence of Dr. Christopher Dresser. Although not a documented Dresser design, the restrained form and geometric detailing reveal his stylistic vocabulary and its impact on late nineteenth-century industrial design.
The tray is shaped with an oblong outline, shallow rim, and raised handle, bordered by a subtle hammered surface. Its clarity of proportion and absence of overt ornament typify the Aesthetic Movement (1870 to 1890), in which utility and beauty were reconciled through structure and material honesty.
Hukin & Heath were among the first British manufacturers to translate design reform principles into affordable tableware, producing metalwork that embodied the modern decorative ideal. This example retains its original silvered surface with a soft patina and light wear consistent with age.
Width: 17 in (43.18 cm)
Depth: 6.75 in (17.14 cm)
1880-1889
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