Vintage Wedgwood Kutani Crane Tray

Circa 1970-1990/Stoke-on-Trent, England

Josiah Wedgwood and Sons made fine ceramics in Staffordshire, England, starting in the eighteenth century. They created this Kutani Crane pattern in the twentieth century to meet a lasting public desire for delicate Asian-inspired tableware. The pottery was produced by transferring detailed hand-colored outlines onto fine bone china bodies before firing them with bright enamel colors and gilding the rims.

Families used these decorative dishes on dressing tables, sideboards, and tea tables to hold small items like jewelry, pins, or calling cards. They were bought as wedding gifts, holiday presents, or souvenirs of traditional English craftsmanship. Over time, changing home decor styles led many people to stop using dedicated vanity trays, and production of this specific pattern eventually ceased.