Vintage Crystal Ashtray

Curatorial Story & Cultural Heritage

A heavy vintage pressed glass ashtray with diamond cut pattern. Glass factories in Europe and the United States produced heavy pressed glassware like this during the middle of the twentieth century. They were created to serve the massive demand for durable, decorative household accessories during the post-war smoking boom. Workers pressed molten glass into heavy iron molds and then cut geometric patterns into the surface to catch the light. People placed these items on living room coffee tables and office desks to hold cigarette ash safely and neatly. Smokers used the notched rims to rest their burning cigarettes between puffs during social gatherings and quiet evenings at home. As indoor smoking declined toward the end of the century, these everyday smoking accessories vanished from active use and became decorative table objects. Period: Circa 1950-1970 Origin: United States