I am always looking for unique enamelware at flea markets, thrift store, etc. I have not found any in a year or two. Then, in the last 2 weeks, I purchased 4: 2 small bowls, a larger bowl, and this tray. The truth is that I prefer the items made in Poland and that area. I think that the items are pretty, and very attractive.
This is a piece of Bumper Harvest Enamelware, Made in China. If you search these items on the antique or collector sites on-line, you will find pieces listed anywhere from $20.00 to $90.00. A paint spraying technique (similar to using stencils) was used. This enamelware was a huge export from China in the 1950's. This piece, a 17 1/2" tray is in excellent condition.
A little history: The 1950's in Hong Kong began after the Japanese rule ended in 1945 with sovereignty returning to the British. However, the Nationalist-Communist Civil War was renewed in mainland China. It prompted a large influx of refugees from the mainland, causing a huge population surge. The government struggled to accommodate these immigrants. Unrest in China also prompted businesses to relocate their assets and capital from Shanghai to Hong Kong. Together with the cheap labor of the immigrants, the seeds of Hong Kong's economic miracle in the second half of the 20th century were sown. In early 1950's the early industrial centers turned out anything that could be produced with small space including this type of enamelware.
