Nothing was safe from being turned into an ashtray in the 20th century. With smoking as large of a part of the cultural zeitgeist as we know it was, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that ashtrays were a way to show a bit of personality with home decor. The tabletop elegance of smoking in the early part of the century gave way to novelty and pop art by the middle part of the 1900s. Known as “smoking head” ashtrays — for obvious reasons — this style of ashtray was mostly found as an import from Japan, with animals being a popular depiction; they’re also referred to as “big mouth” or “open mouth” ashtrays and holes were usually added as nostrils so the smoke could pass through.
Vintage bird ashtray open mouth in ceramic toothpick or match holder hand painted screaming black baby bird with yellow beak porcelain on Etsy: This little guy would also work as a toothpick holder for cocktail parties instead of an ashtray.
Vintage Enesco Red Devil Demon w Pitchfork Open mouth Smoker Ceramic Ashtray on eBay: This would go well with the devil bottle holder I recently bought. The smoke comes out the back and the ears.
Vintage Clown Smoking Head Ashtray Japan RARE on eBay: This clown ashtray is for definitely for someone! Not me, but someone.
Vintage Bulldog Open Mouth Ashtray Made in Germany on eBay: There were a lot of dogs to choose from (see Honorable Mentions below), but this was one of the only full body examples. I do feel like the tail is wrong somehow.
Novelty Ashtray - Bee on Face - Rare version on Etsy: I love the facial expression on this guy, which is pretty accurate to what we’d all look like if a bee landed on our face. Also, should we bring back monocles?
Smoking Head Ashtray Lion Smoker on Etsy: This just conjures up and image of side table with a crawling plant and some candle sticks, smoke rolling through the air and a party going on.
Antique Cute 1940's Black Elephant Head Smoker Ashtray Tobacco Smoke Rolls from Nostrils on Etsy: It could use a spruce up, but the trunk of this little pachyderm is like a perfect little chimney.
Vintage Frog Open Mouth Ashtray on eBay: What is going through his head, do you think? The expression isn’t quite surprise but it definitely isn’t okay with what’s happening. Feels a bit rude.
Vintage Norcrest Redware Black Cat Head Ashtray Incense Green Eyes Japan on eBay: The paint job on this cat really adds to its appeal.
Rare Vintage Japanese Ceramic Red Devil Face Ashtray or Trinket Bowl, Open Mouth Face, Royal Loric Ware Made in Japan on eBay: Okay, but how many devils is too many devils for non-Halloween decor?
Honorable Mentions:
More dogs:
What terms were searched:
Smoking head ashtray
Open mouth ashtray
Big mouth ashtray
Ceramic head ashtray
Welcome to Finder’s Keepers
This is the newsletter dedicated to leaving no vintage stone unturned. Each edition will cater to a rabbit hole that I fell down one night and include an assortment of vintage finds that make you question “Why did anyone own this?” followed quickly by “Should I own this?”
My method is simple: I attach a keyword or phrase to the item and go digging, spending hours each week combing through hundreds of pages of Etsy and Ebay bric-a-brac. It’s chaotic but satisfactory, like looking through every rack and bin at a thrift store for those that partake in the more visceral act of going in person. I like to sit on my couch.