The Piece

Early 20th-Century Japanese Hand-Painted Ceramic Ashtray
Glazed ceramic
Japan
c.1930s–1940s

A hand-painted ceramic ashtray produced in Japan for the American export market during the interwar period. The form is shallow and softly contoured, with a single cigarette rest and an integrated rim notch that gives the piece its asymmetrical, organic silhouette.

The surface is finished in a warm ivory glaze, overlaid with a gentle wash of buttery yellow. At the center, a cluster of coral-red and pale pink blossoms emerges from layered green foliage, painted with visible brush variation and softened edges. A pale celadon-toned rim frames the piece, edged with a thin black line that anchors the composition without hardening it.

Product Details

→ Glazed ceramic
→ Hand-painted floral decoration
→ Soft yellow ground with ivory glaze
→ Pale green rim with black accent line
→ Shallow ashtray form with cigarette rest
→ Marked: “Hand Painted / Japan”
→ Circa 1930s–1940s

Historical Context

During the 1930s and 1940s, Japanese workshops produced hand-painted ceramic wares specifically for Western domestic interiors. These pieces balanced affordability with decoration, offering color and ornament in everyday objects meant to remain visible on tables and sideboards.

Ashtrays of this scale were common fixtures in living rooms and dining spaces, often doubling as small dishes or tabletop accents. Their designs favored soft palettes and natural motifs that blended easily with existing furnishings rather than competing with them.

Condition + Updates

Very good vintage condition.

The glaze shows light surface wear consistent with age, with subtle pooling and variation that add depth and softness. The hand-painted decoration remains clear and expressive. No cracks, chips, or structural damage observed.

No restoration.

Why It Belongs in Your Home

This piece is about texture and ease.

It brings a quiet wash of color and a human hand to a surface—whether used as a catchall for rings, a spoon rest in a breakfast nook, or simply left open on a table where light can move across its glaze. The painterly florals and rounded form soften harder materials like wood, stone, or metal, making it especially effective in layered interiors.

It feels collected, not themed. Familiar, not precious.

From Viridian Eclection

Viridian Eclection curates objects chosen for how they feel as much as how they function. This hand-painted ceramic piece reflects a moment when everyday items were shaped by touch, brush, and use—designed to live openly in the home rather than disappear into storage.