Japanese Serving Tray with Chestnut Motif

Tray in black with a spiky golden burr, and big leaves unfurling around it.

This lacquered wood serving tray with chestnut motif is from Japan, and dates to the 20th century. Lacquered wood trays have been used for serving food and drink in Japan for centuries, and the glossy coating protects the wood beneath it. Square, dark tray with a narrow gold rim. A gilded branch carries broad leaves and a large round burr bristling with fine spines. The gold is bright in the center and softer toward the leaf edges, over a matte ground. It is 10.5 inches wide and 10.5 deep.

Prickly in the middle, polite everywhere else.