Gilt Brass Art Nouveau Smoking Lady Ash Tray

                                                                                                                                               This early 20th century ashtray is interesting, literally a "tray", it's actually better suited for holding jewelry or other small objects than any form of burning leaves.  Most early ash trays didn't have a groove for the cigarette or cigar to rest in, and some were quite lovely, often not even recognized now as smoking accessories.  However, the bas-relief of the stylishly chapeaued lady, her cigarette's undulating floral-enhanced ring of smoke circling her head, clearly shows the purpose of this piece.  Unmarked and made of very heavy cast brass with remnants of the original gilding, it measures about 7½" x 6".

Similar Art Nouveau period ash trays were also made of bronze, pewter and silver.  The German firm WMF (Württembergische MetallwarenFabrik) produced a bit more delicately featured smoking lady in silverplated pewter, also offering the same design without the cigarette as a card tray; and American manufacturer Unger Bros. made a line of sterling silver ash trays (1904 catalog page below).

Collectors Weekly article on Antique and Vintage Ashtrays

Art Nouveau Dragonfly Watch Pin

Well here's the first post on my new blog, thought long and hard about which piece should launch this site, finally deciding that the dragonfly pin used as my avatar would be the right choice.  Bought at an antique show in early '80s, this lovely piece from the first few years of the 20th century, made by Newark, NJ manufacturer Riker Brothers, launched my dragonfly collection.  Crafted of 14 karat gold, it's highlighted with enamel wings in soft shades of blue and green, the eyes are demantoid garnets, a diamond and ruby on the body.  It's a watch pin, with a hook on the back to hold a small ladies pocket watch, though it can also be worn quite nicely by itself.

A version of this pin in different colors is shown on page 109 in The Glitter & The Gold, Fashioning America's Jewelry, edited by Ulysses Dietz, a great book showing all types of jewelry and related items from the late 19th and early 20th century, by numerous Newark, New Jersey jewelry manufacturers, with some interesting insight into the jewelry-making industry.  The book can be found at the Newark Museum Shop as well as Amazon and other booksellers.

William Riker (1822-98) opened his first shop in 1846 as Riker & Tay, operating under several incarnations until he and son Cortlandt left the firm in 1892, leaving brothers William Jr. and Joseph to rename the company as Riker Bros.

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