A guide to toleware

A skilfully painted nesting bird in jewel colours perches daintily on a tree, surrounded by dark purple bell-shaped flowers that glitter with inlaid mother-of-pearl shards.

This beautiful design adorns a 19th-century oval toleware tray, just one of several that Rachel Hobson of Hobson May Collection currently has in stock.

‘Toleware started off in the 1700s when a sheet metalworker in Pontypool called John Hanbury produced practical metal wares that were rust-proof,’ explains Rachel.

‘Initially trays and jugs were made from iron and later tin – practical objects for the home that you could wipe down for kitchen and dining use. They soon started to emulate the popular lacquered pieces that were arriving from East Asia and a method of ‘Japanning’ was developed, which involved painting tin, applying decoration, then lacquering, lacquering, lacquering to give it a robust base for domestic use.’

The word ‘toleware’ is derived from the French term tôle peinte du lac (‘taule’ was an early French word for table) which means painted and lacquered sheet metal.

Traditionally, British toleware tends to be painted black, emulating Japanese and Chinese designs. ‘In the 18th century, a lot of black and red toleware was produced in America, too,’ reveals Rachel.

‘French toleware is often green, blue or yellow, whereas in Italy more gilding and gold were used.’

Today, toleware trays, jugs, neoclassical Regency-style urns and tea canisters are all highly collectable. ‘Tea canisters were painted in different colours – often black, red or green – sometimes with beautiful chinoiserie designs and numbers on them depending on which blend or type of tea the tea merchant was storing in them,’ says Rachel.

‘We prize them now as decorative items but they were made very much as utilitarian pieces – designed to be moved on and off shelves.’

In her own home, Rachel has a beautiful painted toleware tray she treasures and would never sell. ‘It’s hung on the wall like a picture,’ she says. ‘Don’t be frightened of displaying trays this way – in a group they look fantastic. If you’ve got a really special one, you could hang it over a bedhead with a lamp each side so the light catches it. Use them as works of art because, really, that’s what they are.’

The best examples sell at auction for thousands. In January 2022, Christie’s New York sold a red-painted toleware octagonal tray made in Pennsylvania c1830 for $6,875 (£5,661).

You can expect to pay between £200 and £2,000 for an 18th-century toleware tray in good condition. ‘Most importantly, buy something that you love,’ advises Rachel. ‘Don’t buy it for its value; buy it because you love it.’

Dealers in toleware warn potential buyers to be wary of reproductions and older pieces that have been overly restored.

‘It’s such a shame when people try to repaint or touch things up,’ sighs Rachel. ‘I think pieces look nicer when they are not ‘restored’ and have a bit of wear and tear. ‘If toleware is revarnished it becomes a bit bling-tastic and it doesn’t really work – the charm is in the original worn patina,’ Rachel continues. ‘There are plenty of toleware reproductions available because they were popular in the 1980s, but we’re only into the originals.’

Fanciful toleware wall lights and chandeliers, mostly from France, Italy and Germany, are enjoying a revival at the moment.

Leading interior designers such as Rachel Chudley and Matilda Goad have used them in their chic schemes and, if the style mavens think they’re kitsch enough to be cool, they probably are.

Tessa Harris and Jakub Blackman of Shiny Things London buy and sell toleware lights from their Crystal Palace base.

‘They peaked in popularity between the 1930s and the 1950s,’ explains Tessa. ‘They were still being made up until the 1980s, but the later ones were often sprayed instead of hand-painted and you can see the difference in quality.’

Quirky and conspicuous, this is toleware at its most flamboyant. Chandeliers and sconces are draped with gaudy fruits and flowers – cherries, lemons, apples, pears, grapes, roses, pineapples, daisies, strawberries – or festooned with ivy, retro palm leaves or delicate scallop shells.

They’re unabashedly twiddly and fiddly, a joyous celebration of the ‘more is more’ aesthetic. ‘They’re lighthearted and charming – playful – and a lot of designers around at the moment don’t take themselves too seriously,’ points out Tessa.

‘American interior designer Meta Coleman loves them. She’s bought quite a few pieces from us recently.’

Jakub says toleware lights are now growing so popular that they’re becoming increasingly difficult to source. ‘We bought our first one – a lemon chandelier – about a year and a half ago on a buying trip in France. It was snapped up instantly. Next, we found a pair of flower sconces which we got electrified. We put them up online and the same thing happened.’

Italian ones are often gilded with trailing leaves or ornate golden sheaves of wheat, whereas French creations tend to be more colourful, with hand-painted floral or fruit designs.

Toleware candle sconces are mostly sold in pairs and start at about £350. A pair of toleware wall lights tend to cost a bit more – around £450 – as they have to be wired and tested.

Large chandeliers often came with two matching wall sconces, so a complete trio ‘set’ sometimes turns up. Some designs – such as mid-century hot air balloon chandeliers – are now extremely rare.

LCT Home has a stunning 1950s example in stock for £1,100. ‘Beautiful toleware pieces are as relevant today as when they were first created,’ says Rachel Hobson.

‘In our mass-produced world, we appreciate anything that’s handmade, painted with love and beautifully designed and executed.’

Where to buy toleware

Decorative Collective

From hat boxes to sconces, this antiques portal offers a wide range. decorativecollective.com

Hand of Glory Antiques & Interiors

Run by the Antiques Roadshow’s Lisa Lloyd, this emporium of delights sells everything from furniture and garden ornament to curios. handofgloryantiques.com

Hobson May Collection

Mother-and-daughter team with a great eye for decorative antiques, including exceptional examples of
toleware. hobsonmaycollection.com

LCT Home

Self-proclaimed specialists in the extraordinary, LCT Home’s stock does not disappoint: from beautiful
18th-century mirrors to quirky 1950s ice buckets. lcthome.com

Lorfords

Search by room or style and find yourself tempted by an unexpected array of decorative antiques and
furniture, including toleware tea tins. lorfordsantiques.com

Old Stock Antiques

Theatrical, eclectic and entertaining, Old Stock Antiques is full of surprises, from the 19th to the 20th centuries. oldstockantiques.co.uk

Shiny Things London

As the name suggests, this is the place to go for pretty, shiny, gilty treats. Also a great source of charming furniture. shinythingslondon.co.uk

Vinterior

Reliable source of antique and vintage furniture and decorative items. vinterior.co

1stDibs

Impressive online antiques portal giving access to dealers around the world. 1stdibs.com