Items Similar to “Hand” Ashtray by Walter Bosse for Herta Baller, Austria, circa 1950

Ashtray by Walter Bosse Vienna Around 1950s ( signed Baller )

Ashtray, Herta Baller Vienna, Around 1950s ( marked on bottom )

Walter Bosse Sculptural Brass Hand Bowl or Ashtray, Herta Baller, Austria, 1950s

Hammered Ashtray, Vienna, Around 1960s

Brutalist Ashtray by Art3, Solid Aluminium, Spain, 1970s Design

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 5

“Hand” Ashtray by Walter Bosse for Herta Baller, Austria, circa 1950

Name: “Hand” Ashtray by Walter Bosse for Herta Baller, Austria, circa 1950
Brand: Walter Bosse
Rating: 5 (47 reviews)

About the Item

Elegant, sculptural, and full of character, this iconic “Hand” ashtray, designed by Walter Bosse and produced by Herta Baller in Austria during the 1950s, is one of the most celebrated and recognizable creations of postwar European design. The piece depicts a stylized hand posed with remarkable grace and sophistication, its thumb and forefinger delicately pinched together to hold a cigarette in an almost aristocratic manner. The elongated, gently curved fingers demonstrate Bosse’s exceptional sculptural sensibility, achieving a perfect balance between functionality, wit, and elegance. Originally handcrafted in brass, the design features a subtly hammered surface that highlights its artisanal quality and meticulous craftsmanship. Unlike standard examples, however, this particular piece possesses a unique characteristic that sets it apart: it was silver-plated by a previous owner, giving it a luminous and refined appearance that dramatically transforms the original design. The silver finish accentuates the organic contours of the hand and enhances its sculptural presence, creating a striking and highly distinctive version of this classic model. Widely regarded as one of Walter Bosse’s most iconic designs, the “Hand” ashtray embodies the spirit of mid-century European modernism while evoking the effortless sophistication of postwar cafés and salons. Its combination of artistry, functionality, and playful charm has made it a highly sought-after object among collectors of twentieth-century design, decorative sculpture, and modernist decorative arts. An exceptional piece that transcends its utilitarian purpose, standing today as a collectible sculptural object and a timeless example of mid-century design at its finest.

Creator:
Walter Bosse (Artist)
Dimensions:
Height: 2.37 in (6 cm)Width: 3.55 in (9 cm)Depth: 3.35 in (8.5 cm)
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Metal,Silvered
Place of Origin:
Mexico
Period:
1950-1959
Date of Manufacture:
1950
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Mexico City, MX
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU4252250667902

Shop All Walter Bosse

Walter Bosse

Credited with thousands of works and models for ceramic pieces, Walter Bosse was an intensely prolific designer. The modernist Austrian sculptor and ceramist was best known for his distinctive “Black Golden” series of decorative objects and figurines, particularly his hedgehog ashtrays. Bosse’s mid-century and Art Deco works were popular as gifts for politicians and royalty worldwide, remaining coveted among collectors today.

Bosse was born in Vienna in 1904 to artist parents — his father, Julius, was a portrait painter for the Austrian Imperial Court. Bosse studied at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna from 1918 to 1921 under Austrian sculptor Michael Powolny and Austrian painter Franz Cizek. Later, he continued at the Munich School of Applied Arts in Germany under Austrian architect and designer Josef Hoffmann, a founder of the Vienna Secession movement.

Early in his career, Bosse worked as a designer at several ceramics manufacturers, including Augarten Porcelain Works in 1924, Goldscheider Porcelain Manufactory and Majolica Factory in 1926 and Metzler and Ortloff in 1927. In 1925, Bosse displayed several pieces at the International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts in Paris, which introduced the Art Deco style to a global audience.

In 1931, Bosse opened a shop in Kufstein, Austria, selling ceramic gift items. Owing to the crippling economic effects of the Great Depression, however, Bosse was forced to close his shop in 1937. He returned to Vienna in 1938 and opened another business, Bosse Keramik, where he sold toys, glass, textiles and more. In the late 1940s, Bosse experimented with small-scale brass sculptures and desk accessories coated in black ceramic glaze. With Austrian designer Herta Baller, Bosse formed the Bosse-Baller company to manufacture the “Black Golden” line of figurines, which became wildly popular worldwide.

Despite Bosse’s success, he struggled financially and moved to Iserlohn, Germany, in 1953. Meanwhile, Baller continued to manufacture and sell Bosse’s designs, which were so popular that forgers copied and sold counterfeit editions of Bosse’s works around the world. The 1950s marked the debut of the artist’s whimsically zoomorphic hedgehog ashtrays — these were cast in brass, and a hedgehog ashtray in any other material is not a Bosse original.

Bosse spent the rest of his life embroiled in court battles to protect his designs, leaving him penniless by the time he died. Today authentic Bosse pieces — from wall-mounted sculptures to tableware — continue to be highly sought after by collectors.

Find vintage Walter Bosse serveware, wall decorations and more on 1stDibs.