Some objects are simply too interesting to leave behind. From sculptural glass to forgotten hotel souvenirs, these are the vintage ashtrays I always look twice at.
1. Ice-Block Glass Ashtrays
There’s something about a ridiculously heavy piece of glass that I find impossible to resist.
Especially when it looks like a block of melting ice.
2. Vintage Hotel & Casino Ashtrays
A little souvenir from somewhere you’ve never been.
Vintage hotel and casino ashtrays are among my favorite objects to come across because they carry an identity beyond their design.
A hotel name, a crest, a familiar address, or the logo of an establishment that disappeared decades ago.
3. Brutalist Metal Ashtrays
A little rough around the edges. In the best possible way.
Brutalist metal ashtrays are some of the most interesting examples of functional objects becoming sculpture.
Rough textures, heavy brass, cast bronze, and abstract forms. Beautifully unconventional.
4. Silverplate Shell Ashtrays
Of course, I couldn’t leave these out.
I have a particular affection for vintage silverplate shell ashtrays. The exaggerated scalloped edges, sculptural ridges, ornate detailing, and beautifully reflective surfaces make them impossible for me to overlook.
5. French Crystal Ashtrays
Heavy glass, but with an entirely different kind of presence.
I’m especially drawn to the substantial, architectural crystal ashtrays produced by historic French makers such as Daum, Baccarat, and Saint-Louis.
The Art of Collecting
I think what draws me to vintage ashtrays is the contradiction.
Ordinary objects designed with an extraordinary amount of care.
And perhaps that’s what makes them worth collecting. They don’t have to serve their original purpose to deserve a place in our homes.
Sometimes, an object is worth keeping simply because it’s beautiful.
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