Vintage Fly Ashtray

I really quite like insects and was delighted when I found this brass fly ashtray. The upper half is on a hinge and opens up to reveal two cigarette rests and of course a well for the ash. The intended purpose aside, I think this piece would also make a great trinket holder and just as well, for those of us who appreciate bugs, a rather unusual ornament. The piece is really a mix of some fairly crude manufacture (it looks to have been made from a mold as one can see the “seams”) and some rather fine and fascinating detail – such as the marks representing hairs on the thorax. The fly was “Made in Italy” as indicated on the underbelly and some Google research indicates that unsurprisingly, these unique novelty ashtrays are collector’s items (some selling for as much as $130!) but as with many such gems, replicas are also in circulation. I’ve also discovered that they carry different maker’s marks with different versions originating from the 1930’s, 1950’s and more recently.