Skip to main content
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 21

Vintage Sculptural Cast Brass Ashtray in the Shape of a Sicilian Prickly Pear

$333.84
£247.33
€280
CA$457.34
A$507.46
CHF 265.82
MX$6,222.84
NOK 3,381.13
SEK 3,191.64
DKK 2,129.90
Shipping
Retrieving quote...
The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

I offer for sale a sculptural ashtray made of a very realistic brass casting and which has the shape of a plant that has become a symbol of Sicily: The prickly pear The prickly pear, a succulent plant of the same family as the Cactus, was probably imported into Italy from Central America in 1493 following the expeditions made by Christopher Columbus and thanks to the mild climate it has adapted well and spread in the Mediterranean basin. Legend has it that the Sicilians were rather wary of this plant, invasive and dangerous because of its many thorns, they thought it had been brought to Sicily by the Turks to exterminate them. Over time, perhaps at the birth of the first fruits, they decided that there had been the intervention of Divine Providence to protect their people, which had made these plants produce very sweet and beneficial fruits. The ashtray or Vide Poche that we offer for sale is indeed a small sculpture with a very high decorative power. Made in Italy between the 70s and 80s, it has been cleaned and polished with a specific product for brass and is ready to become a small representation of Sicily in your home.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 0.79 in (2 cm)Width: 8.67 in (22 cm)Depth: 5.52 in (14 cm)
  • Style:
    Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Circa 1970
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use. The item is in good vintage condition, it shows minimal signs of use and time, including a small scratch visible in the photos.
  • Seller Location:
    Roma, IT
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU7868243611092

More From This Seller

View All
Sculptural shell-shaped ashtray in Rococo style made of gilded bronze, Italy 70s
Located in Roma, IT
A precious ashtray in full Roccoco style, a heavy shell in gilded bronze depicted in the smallest details and its curved ribs become practical cigarette ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Rococo Ashtrays

Materials

Brass

Mid Century Modern gilded ice bucket with tong, Italy 1950s
Located in Roma, IT
A Vintage ice bucket made in Italy, as engraved on the base of the bucket; Datable between the 1950s and 1960s. The golden aluminum structure is rounded, characterized by a wave edge; the handle is made from brass braid. At the bottom of the basket there is a small net whose function is to drain the water and keep the ice for as long as possible. This Mid Century Modern ice bucket features a stunning brass tong reminiscent of the poiseidon trident, produced by the Italian company "Scacco Matto...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Metal, Brass, Aluminum

Vintage Brass Ashtray Depicting the Mythological Erymanthian Boar, Italy 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage ashtray made in Italy between the 70s and 80s in cast brass and finished by hand. it is a very decorative object that can be used as an ashtray, as a pocket emptier or soap d...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays

Materials

Brass

Italian Sculptural Vide-Poche Ashtray By Roberto Rigon for Bertoncello Ceramics
By Bertoncello, Roberto Rigon
Located in Roma, IT
We offer for sale an Ashtray, as you can see from the lateral slots designed to hold 2 cigarettes per side but, in case you are not a smoker like me, to be used as a Vide-Poche on an...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Dishes and Vide-P...

Materials

Ceramic, Pottery, Stoneware

Vintage Sculptural Bronzed Metal Ashtray in the shape of a Rooster, Italy 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
A small ashtray box with a zoomorphic shape, very widespread in Italian homes during the 60s, each of us had a grandmother or an aunt who had it on the coffee table. Made between th...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays

Materials

Metal

Vintage Brass Ashtray Depicting the Mythological Nemean Lion Skin, Italy 1970s
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage ashtray made in Italy between the 70s and 80s in cast brass and finished by hand. it is a very decorative object that can be used as an ashtray, as a pocket emptier or soap d...
Category

Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays

Materials

Brass

You May Also Like

Walter Bosse Vintage Brass Hand Ashtray for Herta Baller
By Walter Bosse
Located in Vienna, AT
This elegant and heavy ashtray by Walter Bosse for Herta Baller (Model 844) is an original Austrian Mid-Century piece of sculptural character. The object...
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays

Materials

Brass

MCM / Vintage Brass (or Bronze?) Stylized Fish Shaped Ashtray
Located in Warrenton, OR
MCM / Vintage Brass (or Bronze?) Stylized Fish Shaped Ashtray / Cigarette Holder. Good vintage condition. We found no chips, cracks, or repairs. This unique personal ashtray measur...
Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays

Materials

Brass, Bronze, Metal

Vintage Brass Bowl in the Shape of a Large Leaf, Italy, circa 1950
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage Italian decorative mid-century bowl in the shape of a large leaf or shell. Beautiful as a standalone center piece, vide poche, for jewelry, or small items on a desk, vanity,...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Decorative Bowls

Materials

Brass

Italian Designer, Ashtray, Brass, Italy, 1950s
Located in High Point, NC
A brass ashtray designed and produced in Italy, c. 1950s.
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays

Materials

Brass

Brutalist bronze cigar ashtray
Located in Vienna, AT
Midcentury Design Austrian bronze ashtray for cigars, black patinated
Category

Vintage 1950s Brutalist Ashtrays

Materials

Bronze

Walter Bosse Sculptural Brass Hand Bowl or Ashtray, Herta Baller, Austria, 1950s
By Walter Bosse, Herta Baller
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful mid-century sculptural brass bowl designed in the shape of a hand. Originally conceived as an ashtray, this elegant brass piece is versatile to be used as a jewelry bowl,...
Category

Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays

Materials

Brass