Carl Auböck Brass Ashtrays
To cigar smokers, ashtrays are much more than receptacles to discard ash. They express taste and reflect cigar persona. One way to shine is with brass. As well as being a critical part of an orchestra, the metal alloy is a base for two eccentrically shaped, handmade ashtrays with roots reaching back almost eight decades in Austria.
Carl Auböck IV, a Vienna-based craftsman, brings a wealth of generational artistry to his work. For the ashtrays, he still uses designs and molds first created by his grandfather, Carl Auböck II, in the postwar era. As with cigars, each piece is unique thanks to handcrafting.
The Extinguisher Ashtray ($585, bottom) is the smaller of the pair, but packs a surprisingly hefty punch. Its soothing, almost dainty, water-droplet look belies a structural integrity that is quite dense and sturdy. The name “Extinguisher” refers to the small piece hanging off the back, which is quite literally a cigar extinguisher. Rather than patiently waiting for your cigar smoke to fizzle out when you finish, you may simply take the extinguisher off the small hook and put the dying smoke out of its misery. Smoker’s choice.
The flying-saucer shape of the Satellite Ashtray ($650, top right) is striking enough that doubletakes are required to ensure the ashtray won’t soon be zooming off. Regardless of its unique build, the Satellite Ashtray offers practical applications. The middle opens to the bottom, revealing an easy spot to ash cigars while keeping the remnants spared from wind. But should you wish your ashtray space voyage to be more communal, the top easily comes off like the upper half of a bagel.
Both ashtrays are sold and distributed by ABASK, an online, global retailer that offers a wide-ranging, curated collection of artisan-made goods.
