Ashtrays Are A Dime A Dozen: But We'd Be Thrilled To Find This Vintage Treasure

In the early and mid-1900s, cigarette smoking experienced a boom in popularity. While trends have changed due to health concerns, ashtrays are a remnant of the era, and today, you can find a plethora of incredibly unique vintage ashtrays at antique stores. French Limoges ashtrays, in particular, are one such vintage piece from a time when smoke cast a hazy filter over lounge rooms. With its painted patterns, gorgeous porcelain designs, elegant gold accents, and vintage appeal, this unique type of thrift store ashtray makes for stunning home decor. Depending on the age, condition, and manufacturer, these ashtrays can be worth from just $5 to hundreds of dollars, and you might even stumble on a truly valuable one for cheap. If you don't find one in your local thrift store, you might be able to source one from sites like eBay.

Before you source an authentic French Limoges ashtray, it's important to note that Limoges is a city in France, and not a manufacturer or decorator. Thankfully, many authentic pieces have maker's marks to indicate their origin. French Limoges have a whiteware mark which looks like a green stamp, telling you who was the manufacturer of the porcelain. There is also an additional decorating or overglaze mark in a different color to indicate who painted the piece. To help date your French Limoges ashtray, pieces made after 1891 will include "France," while pieces made post-1915 will usually say "Made in France," according to Antique Identifier. French Limoges can come in a range of sizes and shapes, with many pieces from the late 1800s featuring scalloped rims.

There are many clever ways to repurpose and style unused ashtrays around your home. While you can use these ideas for nearly any vintage ashtray, French Limoges ashtrays offer a more opulent and personal look. Before you add it to your home decor, consider how the colors in the ashtray blend with your current palette. While a pop of color can be eye-catching, you don't want your French Limoges ashtray to look out of place. Consider choosing an ashtray that works with your existing palette. Or, if you want something different, try sprinkling more items sharing the same accent color around the room so it looks intentional.

Once you have your piece, it's time to put it to use. A simple way to use it is as a small tray. Place your ashtray on a stack of books on the coffee table and add small pieces of decor, small candles, keys, or other tiny accessories to it. You can also use it as a jewelry tray on your bedside table. It can even work as a handy tray for sunglasses or car keys in an entryway. Alternatively, you might use a French Limoges ashtray in the bathroom as a soap bar holder or a base for a hand soap dispenser. There is also a surprising hack that puts vintage ashtrays to clever use in the kitchen, such as using it for the base of plants you may be growing on the counter or as a spoon rest.