Chinese Wood Serving Tray

Three planks, one dark red finish, and a rim keeping order.

This pine wood serving tray is from Fujian Province, China, and dates to the 19th century. Fujian Province, on China's southeastern coast, has a long history of woodworking, with carved and lacquered household objects made for local use and trade. Long, tapering tray whose flat base shows two faint seams dividing it into vertical strips. A slim moulded border frames the edge, and the glossy red-brown finish deepens to near black along the lower rim. It is 30 inches wide, 17 deep and 1.5 high.

Quietly rectangular, never dull, and proud of its edges.