Vintage Ribbed Pressed Glass Square Ashtray, Four Rests, c. 1950–1975
Viridian Eclection
The Piece
A square ashtray in heavy pressed glass, the four outer walls cut into deep vertical ribs that run the full height and break over the rim, so the piece throws light in vertical bars from every angle. Four cigarette rests are moulded into the rim, one to a side, each a smooth saddle interrupting the ribbing. The well is a plain polished square, left undecorated, which is what lets the walls do the work.
It is a substantial thing rather than a token one. The glass is thick at the corners, the base sits flat and heavy, and the ribbing is sharp enough to read as pattern rather than texture. Clear and uncoloured throughout, with no gilding, transfer or applied decoration.
History & Provenance
The large domestic glass ashtray was a standard piece of household equipment for most of the twentieth century, made in enormous numbers by the American pressed glass houses and their European counterparts and sold through every hardware store, department store and premium catalogue. It sat on the coffee table whether or not anyone in the house smoked, in the way a bowl does now. The category shrank steadily from the 1970s onward and has effectively ended as mass production, which is why these turn up as survivors rather than as current stock.
This one carries no maker's mark on any surface photographed. The vertical rib with integral rests is a pattern several houses ran, and without a mark on the base the attribution stays open rather than being assigned on the strength of the pattern alone. What the piece does show is a working life: the flat of the well carries the fine scratching that comes from use, not from storage.
Product Details
| Era | c. 1950–1975, the period when the heavy domestic pressed glass ashtray was in full mass production before the category contracted. Offered as a range rather than a year because the piece carries no maker's mark |
| Material | Pressed glass, clear and uncoloured |
| Form | Square, deep vertical ribbing to all four outer walls, four moulded cigarette rests, plain square well |
| Marks | None found |
| Dimensions | Approximately 5.5 in. square by 1.5 in. high |
| Condition | Very good. No chips, cracks or bruises found on inspection. Fine surface scratching across the flat of the well consistent with use. Ribbing crisp throughout and the glass bright. |
Why It Belongs in Your Home
Most people buying this will never put a cigarette in it. It works as a catchall by a door for keys and coins, as a desk tray for clips and pins, as a soap dish, or on a bar holding citrus peel and a knife. The ribbing is the reason to choose it over a plain dish: under a lamp it breaks the light into vertical bars and reads as something designed rather than something merely useful, and clear glass sits against any surface and any palette without asking anything of the room.
Every piece is packed with professional-grade materials: multiple foam layers, double-boxing, directional and fragile handling labels. For large furniture we use custom timber crating. We photograph packing before dispatch and can provide images on request.
White-glove delivery is complimentary within 100 miles of Reno, NV. National shipping quotes provided at checkout. All shipments are photographed and documented. Damage claims must be filed with the carrier; we provide all documentation needed to support your claim.
Local pickup is available at Viridian HQ (Reno, NV) with 2–4 days notice. Contact us to arrange. Private viewings also available.
All antique and vintage items are sold as described and all sales are final. Each listing includes detailed condition notes and photographs so you can make a fully informed decision. We encourage buyers to ask questions — about condition, dimensions, finish, provenance — before purchasing.
Antiques are irreplaceable and one-of-a-kind. Carrier handling is outside our control once a piece has left our facility, and major carriers including FedEx do not insure antiques. We do everything within our power to ensure safe transit, but cannot accept liability for carrier damage. If damage occurs in transit, we will provide full documentation to support your carrier claim.
Have a question? — we're happy to provide additional photos, condition detail, or discuss the piece directly.
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