Vintage Find: What IS It?

The other day I ran across this little beauty...blue and white.  Enamelware.  




Had to snap it up, it was just a few dollars, thought I'd find a use for it somewhere in this old house.  I organize stuff all over the house in old things like this, so no problem, and it is farmhouse-y, for shore.

But it won't sit flat, it rocks, and is very shallow.


Oh well.

It has three rounded off corners and one is squared.

It's just plain weird.


It came home to live with me anyway.

Can you guess what it is?

I never would have!

It's an old photo-developer's tray.


Who knew?


But it makes sense.


The bottom is rounded just enough so that the solution can be sloshed around, but just barely.


If it was used in a dark room, I'm sure the white background was helpful when the photographer needed to grab the picture with his tongs to take out and hang up...

I am sure this old thing has been many places and now will be used in many places around this house--until they have the estate sale after I'm gone and they say "...wonder what in the world is this thing?!".  

And the lucky person who snaps it up will think it's awesome, too, and use it in her home!

But that's the cool thing about vintage finds, so long-lasting, versatile and utilitarian. And I like that!

And the best part?

You know it!  MADE IN THE USA!!