Treasure: Beer tray serves up hefty reward

Beer trays are among the many items known as a subset of collecting called “breweriana.” Laura and Tim Dudgeon recently brought in a piece of vintage beer ware to an appraisal session at DuMouchelles downtown, where Alex Diebel took a closer look.

The Dearborn residents purchased the tray for just $5 at a favorite thrift store in Pinconning. “We look for cool stuff,” Tim explained. “Sometimes we flip them, sometimes we keep them.”

The pair was intrigued by the colors in the metal tray and the fact that they had never heard of the brewery, which is listed on the tray as Star. “We think Star was only in business for a few years before it was purchased by another company,” the pair told the appraiser. “We noticed that some beer trays can go for a lot on eBay.”

Collectorsweekly.com offered some fascinating background. “Since the late 19th century, beer trays featuring company advertisements have been produced for both home and public use. The earliest printed beer trays were created by the Tuscarora Advertising Company of Coshocton, Ohio, around 1895. Breweries could either commission a unique design or use one of Tuscarora’s stock images tailored to include their logo, bottle design, and other specific details. Though collected today for their visual appeal and branding (Budweiser, Miller, Blatz, and Pabst are just a few of the major beer brands with devoted followers), beer trays were designed as tools to carry beer bottles and glasses from bar to table. The most common trays were circular with a 12-to-13 inch diameter, although oval and rectangular trays were also produced. While the majority were manufactured from lithographed tin, others were created from solid brass or decorated with porcelain enamel. The smallest beer trays are known as “tip” trays, although they were more likely used as coasters or ashtrays. Oversized trays, called “chargers,” were generally produced as decorative wall pieces and were not meant for day-to-day use.”

Diebel says that the female on the Dudgeon’s piece is known as “Red Feather,” and has been featured on other brewery’s ads as well. She dated the tray to around 1912. “If you look at the fine print, you can find the name and that it’s based on a lithograph from the Charles W. Shonk Company and the artist was in Chicago,” she told them.

“The implication is, ‘If you drink our beer, you’ll have a good time,’ ” she says. “It’s not hand-painted — if you look, the little dots show you that it’s made much in the same way as a comic strip,” she told them. “Some of these beer trays can bring as much as $1,000 to $2,000 depending on rarity.”

She said that the tray, which is Michigan specific, would have more appeal here than somewhere like Montana. Because it’s a relatively obscure brewery, she didn’t doubt the tray’s authenticity, adding that the ones that are reproduced are usually the better-known companies. “It’s in great condition, with no scratching or wear,” she told them. “I’d estimate this at $200-$400, thinking it might do somewhere in the middle at auction.”

She was right on the money. The couple decided to leave the tray, where it sold at auction in April for $350 — not a bad return on a $5 investment, says Tim. “We’re pretty happy with how it turned out,” he said.

Do you have an object you would like to know more about? Send a photo and description that includes how you acquired the object to: The Detroit News, Trash or Treasure?, 160 W. Fort St., Detroit, MI 48226. Include your name and daytime telephone number. You may also send your photo and description to [email protected]. If chosen you’ll need to bring the items to an appraisal session. Letters are edited for style and clarity. Photos cannot be returned.

About this item

Item : Brewery tray

Owned by : Laura and Tim Dudgeon, Dearborn

Appraised by : Alex Diebel, DuMouchelles

Estimated value : $200-$400 at auction (sold for $350)