Vintage Divided Tray
Vintage divided trays and drawers have so many decorating possibilities! Whenever I see one of these diamonds in the rough, I scoop it up, eager to make it look more beautiful than ever! This humble fella found me at a recent church sale…for $4. I couldn’t wait to get it home and give it a makeover to really bring out it’s character. You’ll be watching for these too, once you see all the fun you can have with a vintage divided tray!
It was tucked away with some other collectible, kind of stuff on a dark corner shelf. I doubt anyone else had even noticed it. There was an old garage sale tag that said $10, but I could tell that was wrong from the rest of the prices. I asked the friendly cashier and she offered $4-sold!
It looked like someone had rubbed some stain on it to make it look “nicer”. There were also picture teeth on the back so it obviously had been hanging on a wall. I wanted it to look like it’s original, character-filled self, so I attacked it with my palm sander and some 100 grit.
I was intrigued with the label on the end, and was hoping I could reveal the words a little more. I also liked how the middle section dipped down, like a handle, maybe? And all the little different sections-sheer bliss!
It definitely was old. The light sanding smoothed out all the rough edges (I like to say I like my pieces as soft as a baby’s bottom;) The words were a little more legible:
If this looks familiar to anyone, please let me know! _______ Better Made, Gentlemen & Children? I first thought it was a seed display tray, but that doesn’t really make sense with the words. Maybe a store display of some item? I’d love to solve the mystery. But it definitely looks better without it’s coat of bad stain!
Of course, poly makes everything better in my world, so the vintage divided tray got a couple coats brushed on in all it’s recesses.
Oh, the beauty of character-rich old wood with some poly:
There are so many fun decorating possibilities with pieces like these! I’ve got a little stash of divided drawers and trays and have used them for a variety of uses throughout the seasons. I refreshed a workbench divided drawer and turned it into my Easter centerpiece {“Divided Drawer: From Workbench to Centerpiece”}. I used the same drawer for function at my daughter’s grad party to corral the plastic silverware and napkins on the buffet line {“Use Vintage Finds and Refreshed Junk as Unique Serving Pieces and Centerpieces”}. And I used two divided drawers stacked on top of each other to create an Advent Calendar at Christmas {“Advent Calendar, Junker Style“}.
I’m happy to add one more vintage divided tray to the family!
This one got treated to some late summer, early fall decor for a simple centerpiece.
I grabbed 3 of my little brown bottles and snipped some garden flowers.
Then I grabbed some filler smalls from my stash. I’m always picking up little bags of foliage at sales for cheap. I had just scored the little seed balls for .50 at the same sale. I’d found the acorns and mini apples previously.
I snipped some of the green hydrangeas that were drying in a vase of water.
Just like an old seed display, most of the items are flat. The 3 vases of flowers rise above for interest.
These are totally the colors I love at this late summer, early fall time! Apples, sunflowers, hydrangeas, and lots of rustic texture.
It’s the perfect, everyday centerpiece to enjoy bits and bobs of the season!
Didn’t the little refresh of sanding and poly just make this humble tray sing? If I still had a store, I would probably sell it for about $24, which would be pretty nice profit. But my selling years are in my past, and this cutie is staying with me;)
Next time you’re treasure hunting, keep an eye out for a vintage divided tray; you’ll be happy if you find one!
Sharing at these lovely parties:
Lora – I love seeing how you decorate your home with all your vintage and antique goodies! Love the drawer!
Glad you enjoyed it, Traci! Thanks:)
i am a couple years late to commenting on this article but I just found it! I think that the box end was part of a packaging box that originally contained who knows what and that particular piece was used to create the sectioned box you now own. I have a 30″ high kitchen cupboard with opening glass doors on the upper part that was most likely made by a grandpa, for his granddaughter so she could play house with her dollies. My piece also has a shelf and one of the sides made from old wooden crates that were used to ship fruit way back when. Everything was recycled back then and nothing was thrown out. I feel these pieces of boxes and crates add to the charm of the pieces they helped to create once upon a time! Lora, I just love your style and the way you describe everything you write about. I will never get tired of rereading your blogs!
You’re too sweet, Pam! It’s always a special treat to find one of those hobbled together handyman projects where they’ve used old fruit crates, or anything else! Makes the piece even more charming! That’s why I always look in the basement or the garages of estate sales where they’ve been hiding for years;)
I would venture a guess at “None Better Made”, a lot of things were, and still are advertised with that slogan, hard to think what would be small and displayed in a divided box for men, women and children though.
I think you’re right, Mary Ann! Must have been some type of accessory, maybe? I may never know…
My goodness… if this doesn’t scream fall I don’t know what does. So so gorgeous! I adore how the sections have the ability to highlight the smallest details. WANT!
I’m featuring this project in this weekend’s upcoming DIY Salvaged Junk Projects. Thanks for linking up! 🙂
So glad you liked it, Donna! It’s like a horizontal centerpiece with littles;)
2nd Line says Men, Women & Children
Thanks, Ruth!