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Kalo Domed Trays

 

Kalo trays were wonderful Arts & Crafts objects -- often large, heavy, and impressive.   Some were made for desks, some for dressers, some for tea and coffee sets, and some to hold general purpose items.  But the domed trays below were probably made to showcase a main course at a large meal.   The domes retained the heat, kept the food protected, and added drama when removed at the table.

 

Creating big pieces of silver like these is tricky business.   As Sharon Darling points out in Chicago Metalsmiths, "the tendency of trays to weaken along the diagonals during shaping makes their perfection one of the greatest challenges of any metalsmith."  According to Darling, Fallick Novick was known as the "tray man" for his ability to produce fine trays first while working at the Kalo Shop and then later when he began working on his own.  Presumably, making these immense domes was not much easier.

 

The smaller tray was made around 1911, the larger one in 1929.  These two pieces are each massive and weighty, but the lovely curves of the domes help make them look somewhat elegant -- not an easy task when you're hiding a 30 pound turkey.

 

Kalo tray and fitted dome, large and early

Tray and fitted dome, large and early.  Oval tray has wide flat stepped rim with heavy applied wire.  Dome has large strap handle on top, an engraved "Presented to our President / Angus I. Hibbard / by the / Wisconsin Society of Chicago / May 4 -1911." on the underside of the dome, and an applied ASH mono on the outside.  Heavy and impressive.

 

Tray:  18-5/8" L and 11-1/16" W and 1-1/8" H

Dome:   15-11/16" L and 9-7/8" W and 4-5/8" H

Together:  18-5/8" L and 11-1/16" W and 5-1/4" H

 

Tray marked:  STERLING / HAND BEATEN / AT / KALO SHOPS / PARK RIDGE / ILLS. / 7740.  Dome marked:  STERLING / KALO

 

Kalo massive tray and fitted dome

Tray and fitted dome, massive and impressive.  Oval tray has wide flat rim with applied wire and upturned ends, with convex handholds at the ends.  Dome has large strap handle on top with pointed ends where they join the surface.  Tray has engraved 19S12 and 19EKR29 in ovals on bottom.

 

Tray: 25-1/2" L and 15-1/2" W and 2-1/8" H at ends

Dome: 20-1/8" L and 13-1/4" W and 8" H

Together:  25-1/2" L and 15-1/2" W and 9-1/2" H

 

Tray marked:  STERLING / HAND WROUGHT / AT / THE KALO SHOPS / CHICAGO / E249.  Dome marked:  STERLING / KALO

 

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