Vintage Royal Winton Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Trinket Tray – Colour Portrait, Union Jack & Red Ensign Flags, Gold Rim, England 1953

A Royal Winton tray for the coronation of 2nd June 1953 — and where most souvenirs of that summer kept to sepia, this one gives the new Queen her colours: pale blue Garter sash, white fur stole, pearls and tiara, seated in a laurel wreath beneath the Imperial State Crown, over the lettering Elizabeth II — Crowned June 2 1953.

Look at the crossed flags flanking the portrait. The right is the Union Jack; the left, red with the Union canton, is the Red Ensign — nominally Britain's merchant flag, but to Canadian eyes something more: until the Maple Leaf arrived in 1965, the Red Ensign was Canada's flag in everyday use. Souvenir makers of 1953 favoured this two-flag arrangement precisely so buyers across the Commonwealth would see their own colours in it — a nice detail for a tray now shipping from Canada's capital.

The scalloped rectangular form with hand-gilt edge is classic Royal Winton fancy ware from Grimwades of Stoke-on-Trent — the chintz kings — and the black script backstamp Royal Winton Made in England, without the Grimwades name, is the 1950s version of the mark, closing the dating neatly with the date on the face. The cream earthenware shows the fine allover crazing typical of the body, disclosed below and priced accordingly.

For the coronation collector building the 1953 shelf, the Royal Winton completist, or a ring tray with a flag story to tell.