I believe this beautiful little tray with its Old South cotton boll border was made for the Metropolitan Hotel in Ft. Worth, Texas. It coincides with the order of china placed by owners Ella Moore and Julian Campbell Clopton when they took over ownership of the 200-room hotel.

The hotel service plate (see a photo here) was custom designed for Moore & Clopton, and it is likely that they either ordered this smaller piece or that Syracuse made it for them on spec, inserting the A in lieu of the ampersand.

It is 6 3/8” by 4 1/8” and is in very good condition. It has light utensil marks and a bit of brown discoloration on the border, as well as some rough spots on the border, too, that look like the piece had some bumps and bruises at one time.