Georges Briard Orange Glass Serving Tray with Gilt Decoration and Wood Handles, circa 1960s

Story

A wonderfully graphic mid-century serving tray by Georges Briard, rendered in vivid orange glass with gilt decoration, dark wood handles and brass-tone fittings.

The color is the first thing you notice, but it is the composition that makes the piece work: a broad decorative border, strong central medallion and gently curved rectangular form that gives the tray a sense of movement without feeling overly ornate.

Georges Briard was the commercial name used by artist and designer Jascha Brojdo, whose glassware, barware and serveware became fixtures of sophisticated American entertaining in the mid-twentieth century. His work is particularly associated with bold color, graphic pattern and metallic decoration — a combination that made even practical household objects feel a little more glamorous.

This tray has exactly that quality. The saturated orange glass and gilt decoration are striking, but the beautifully shaped dark wood handles may be my favorite detail. Warm against the glass and finished with brass-tone fittings, they give the piece a tactile, almost furniture-like quality and keep the design from feeling overly slick.

Signed Georges Briard.

Origin

Georges Briard, circa 1960s.

Orange glass with gilt decoration, wood handles and brass-tone fittings. Signed “Georges Briard” to the surface.

Condition

Very good vintage condition with light age-appropriate surface wear. The gilt decoration remains strong overall, with minor wear consistent with use. The wood handles and metal fittings show light wear consistent with age.

Dimensions

12 in. L × 6 in. W.

Sourcing Note

Found in New York.

The orange stopped me immediately. I have always loved objects that use color with confidence, and this one has exactly that quality — bright, graphic and just a little glamorous.

What drew me in after that was the mix of materials: the glossy orange glass, gilt decoration, dark wood handles and brass-tone fittings. The handles are especially lovely — beautifully proportioned and warm in the hand — and give the tray far more character than its simple function would suggest.

My great-aunt had a tray much like this in her formal parlor — the kind of room Southern women of her generation took particular pride in. And, of course, anything that made it into the sitting room was there for observing only.

That may be part of why this one feels so familiar to me. It has that same combination of usefulness and display — an object made to serve, but handsome enough to earn a place in the room even when no one is touching it.

A very Atlas & Arden kind of find: practical, decorative and impossible to ignore.