Protetta Ashtrays
When you’re smoking, ashtrays serve two functions: they catch ash and hold burning cigars. Protetta, the New York City designer of elegant catch-all trays, realized that its product could do all that while still acting as a handsome piece of home decor. So they added clip-on cigar rests as part of the product line, enabling their porcelain dishes to perform double duty. After they attend to your smoking needs, the rests detach and you have a place to display accessories and watches.
Inspired by classic Italian artwork, Protetta emblazons its trays with floral swirls, birds in flight and intricate geometric patterns. The eye-catching pieces are meant to be displayed around your home or office as functional decor. On your desk or in your foyer, they are places to lay your keys, coins and other accessories —like your cigar cutter and lighter.
The company calls its cigar holders Levins, and they’re priced at $50 to $55 each. Made from zinc alloy, they come in a range of finishes, including gold, silver, black chrome, rose gold, satin gold and satin silver. The variety of high-end hues encourages cigar smokers to mix and match Levins and ashtrays to create stylish presentations customized to their taste.
Protetta also offers two unique rests called Levinso and Levante. Like the cigar holders, they attach to your ashtray, but they’re designed for different occasions. Specialized to hold a stick, Levinso is an incense holder, available in gold or silver finish at $60. Levante turns your Protetta tray into a cushioned display stand for your wristwatch and other jewelry. Ideal for your bedside table or office desk, Levante is priced at $110.
Protetta’s trays come in two sizes. Large trays measure 7.5 inches long by 6.5 inches wide with a height of 1.5 inches. The smaller versions measure about 5 inches long by 3.8 inches wide and 1.4 inches tall. Depending on the design and size, Protetta ashtrays are priced $115 to $234. Both the large and small trays feature hand-painted edges. The tray bottoms are covered in suede, so no matter where your Protetta tray ends up, it won’t scratch your table.
