Ashtray - Gilded Brass and Floral Engravings





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Brass ashtray with floral engravings, made in Italy, estimated period 1970–1980, dimensions 14.5 cm high, 10 cm wide and 2 cm deep, in used condition with probable small missing parts.
Description from the seller
To land with sacred terror on the enemies, he keeps on his shield the snakes to which he gave life.
- Ovid, Metamorphoses (Book IV)
This vintage Art Nouveau ashtray embodies the elegance of an era rich in symbolism and beauty. The floral design gently wraps a central female figure that evokes the mythological Medusa, the only mortal Gorgon.
With her serpents for hair and a dangerous gaze, Medusa represents the duality of beauty and terror, petrifying anyone who dares meet her gaze.
The story of Medusa and the shield is central to the myth of Perseus, who, to kill her without dying, used a shiny shield (Athena's Aegis) as a mirror, only looking at her reflection to decapitate her with Hermes' sickle, turning terror into a tool of protection, since the head was later given to Athena, who placed it on her own shield as an amulet.
This unique piece is not just a functional object, but a true work of art that tells ancient and fascinating stories, paying homage to the aesthetics of the past.
Made of brass, the process begins with the melting of the metal (a copper and zinc alloy) in molds and sheets using techniques such as turning, wire bending, and brazing, then refining the piece with grinding and fine abrasive pastes, concluding with the engraving of floral motifs on the sides and the details of the subject carved from the initial mold.
Dimensions:
Height 14.5 cm
Width 10 cm
Depth 2 cm
See photos in the gallery that are an integral part of the description — setting images are used for illustrative purposes only.
Easy and tracked shipping
Seller's Story
To land with sacred terror on the enemies, he keeps on his shield the snakes to which he gave life.
- Ovid, Metamorphoses (Book IV)
This vintage Art Nouveau ashtray embodies the elegance of an era rich in symbolism and beauty. The floral design gently wraps a central female figure that evokes the mythological Medusa, the only mortal Gorgon.
With her serpents for hair and a dangerous gaze, Medusa represents the duality of beauty and terror, petrifying anyone who dares meet her gaze.
The story of Medusa and the shield is central to the myth of Perseus, who, to kill her without dying, used a shiny shield (Athena's Aegis) as a mirror, only looking at her reflection to decapitate her with Hermes' sickle, turning terror into a tool of protection, since the head was later given to Athena, who placed it on her own shield as an amulet.
This unique piece is not just a functional object, but a true work of art that tells ancient and fascinating stories, paying homage to the aesthetics of the past.
Made of brass, the process begins with the melting of the metal (a copper and zinc alloy) in molds and sheets using techniques such as turning, wire bending, and brazing, then refining the piece with grinding and fine abrasive pastes, concluding with the engraving of floral motifs on the sides and the details of the subject carved from the initial mold.
Dimensions:
Height 14.5 cm
Width 10 cm
Depth 2 cm
See photos in the gallery that are an integral part of the description — setting images are used for illustrative purposes only.
Easy and tracked shipping

