Few antiques are as useful, or as easy to live with, as the printer's tray. It's shallow, it hangs flat against a wall, and it's divided into dozens of little compartments that seem made for the small things that otherwise clutter a house.
It also has one of the best back stories of anything we sell.
What is a printer's tray?
Before modern printing, text was set by hand. A compositor (the person who set the type) built each line from individual metal letters, one character at a time, and then locked the lines together to be inked and printed. This is letterpress printing.
Those letters had to be stored somewhere, and kept in order. They lived in shallow wooden drawers, called cases or trays, which slid into a tall cabinet. Each tray was divided into compartments, and the compartments weren't all the same size: letters that are used constantly, like e and a, got larger compartments than rarely used ones, like q and z.
This is also where the terms upper case and lower case come from. Compositors traditionally kept their capital letters in a case set above the one holding the small letters.
As printing moved to newer technologies through the twentieth century, hand-setting declined, and printing works emptied out their type cabinets. The trays that survived are the ones we find today. They're usually solid timber, often with a brass pull or a small label holder on the front edge, and frequently still marked by the ink and handling of working life.
You'll hear them called printer's trays, letterpress trays, type trays, typesetter's trays and printer's drawers. They're all the same thing.
What to look for when buying one
- Sound construction. Check the dividers are firmly in place and the base is secure. Thin base boards can loosen with age; that's usually easy to fix, but worth knowing.
- Woodworm. Small round holes are common in old timber. Old, clean holes are usually historic. Fresh, pale dust around holes suggests activity and needs treating.
- Original details. A brass handle, a label holder or a maker's stamp all add interest.
- Honest wear. Ink stains, scuffs and worn edges are part of the appeal. We describe the condition of every tray we sell.
- Size and layout. Trays vary a great deal. Some have many tiny compartments, others have fewer, larger ones, so think about what you want to put in yours. Our No.10 tray, for example, measures approximately 80 × 37 cm.
10 ways to use a printer's tray
1. A cabinet of curiosities
The classic use, and still the best. Hung on the wall, each compartment becomes a tiny shelf for shells, pebbles, thimbles, old keys, miniature bottles, toy cars or anything else you collect. Mixing objects of different heights and colours keeps it lively.
2. Jewellery storage
Laid flat on a dressing table or inside a wide drawer, a tray keeps rings, earrings and brooches separated and visible. Line the compartments with a scrap of velvet or felt to protect delicate pieces.
3. A spice or tea display
In the kitchen, a wall-hung tray makes a charming home for small spice jars, tea tins or pretty glass bottles, as long as it's kept away from the heat and steam of the hob.
4. A glass-topped coffee table
Set a tray on legs or a low base, arrange your favourite objects inside it, and lay a sheet of toughened glass over the top. It becomes a table and a display case at once.
5. Hallway storage
A tray with larger compartments can hold keys, sunglasses, dog leads and the post. Trays with generous divisions can even be put to work for children's shoes and slippers.
6. Sewing and haberdashery
Buttons, cotton reels, pins, ribbons and trims: a printer's tray is perfectly suited to the small, fiddly things that make up a sewing box, and looks far better on a studio wall than a plastic organiser.
7. A desk organiser
On a desk, a tray keeps pens, clips, stamps, notebooks and chargers in order, and adds warmth to a home office.
8. A memory box for children
Fill the compartments with a child's early treasures, such as a first shoe, a hospital band, a favourite small toy or a pressed flower. It's a lovely thing to add to over the years.
9. Miniature plants
Tiny succulents and air plants look wonderful in individual compartments. Use small pots or liners so no moisture reaches the timber, and avoid overwatering.
10. A tribute to its past
Fill a tray with vintage wooden or metal type, or use single letters to spell out a name or a word. It's a nice way of returning a tray to what it was made for.
Hanging and caring for your tray
Printer's trays are light when empty but can become surprisingly heavy once full. Fix them securely: mirror plates on the sides or back, screwed into the frame of the tray, give a neat and secure result. See our guide to hanging heavy mirrors and frames for advice on fixings for different walls.
To care for the timber, dust with a soft brush, avoid soaking or wet cleaning, and, if you'd like to refresh it, use a good-quality furniture wax sparingly.
Find your tray
Browse our current selection of antique English printer's trays. Each one is sourced and one of a kind, so once it's gone, it's gone. For more pieces with a working past, see our furniture and décor.