Pair of Vintage Olivades Melamine Trays Les Indiennes Provence

Two vintage melamine trays by Olivades from the teaching kitchen at Chanteduc, Patricia Wells’s home in Provence. Printed in the house’s Les Indiennes motif, their sunlit yellow ground is patterned with neat grey paisley sprigs. Les Indiennes refers to the printed cottons first imported to France from India in the 17th century, banned in 1686 to protect local makers, then embraced once Provençal workshops mastered the craft. Olivades, founded in Provence in 1818, continues this tradition with clarity and charm. Light and durable, the melamine has softly rounded corners and a shallow lip, easy to carry from garden to stove. The pair sits comfortably together, one generous and one compact, ready for work or display. Condition is clean and serviceable with light, honest wear from use. Patricia explains that these were essential to her classes, used as “mise en place” trays, meaning “everything in its place.” She would measure ingredients for each student and set them out before cooking together. From Patricia’s personal collection, they are a warm testament to thirty five years of teaching and to the love of French cooking she shared with her students. At home, let them corral herbs and citrus, carry aperitifs, or organize a bar or baking station with effortless Provençal order.