Copper Trays

Hand-hammered copper trays

A tray shows copperwork better than any other piece: the wide flat surface carries every hammer mark and every chiselled motif. Ours are raised from a single sheet, with the rims turned by hand. Trays intended to carry food are tin-lined; purely decorative ones may be left as bare copper.

The rim does the structural work. A flat disc of copper has almost no rigidity, so we roll the edge over on itself or turn it up into a lip; that single fold is what stops a 50 cm tray bending under a full teapot. On the big pieces the rim is worked over a wooden stake in dozens of small passes, and that is where most of the making time goes.

Diameter and shape

Trays of 25 to 35 cm (10 to 14 in) are for tea and coffee service. From 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20 in) they serve a family table; 60 cm (24 in) and above belong to the traditional floor table and to wedding service. Footed trays act as a low table in themselves. On engraved models the motif is punched by hand with a chisel, it is not printed.

• 25 to 35 cm: tea and coffee, six glasses with room to lift them
• 40 to 50 cm: family service and the breakfast spread
• 60 cm and up: the sini floor table, wedding and communal service
• Footed: doubles as a low table, usually 25 to 40 cm tall

Weight climbs quickly with diameter. A 40 cm tray in 1 mm copper runs about 1.5 kg; a 70 cm sini is a piece of furniture and should be treated as one.

Reading the engraving

Hand chiselling leaves a mark you can feel. Run a finger across a genuine engraved tray and the lines have depth and a slightly irregular edge, because a chisel is struck one blow at a time. Printed or acid-etched decoration is flat and repeats perfectly. The older motifs are rumi scrollwork, tulip and carnation forms, and geometric borders.

Use and care

A hot teapot or pan can be set down directly. Wash by hand in warm water and dry; left wet, the surface develops dark spots. Decorative trays for the wall can take a hanging ring on the back. A monthly pass with copper polish keeps the shine, or leave it alone if you prefer the patina.