Brass pocket ashtray with hinged lid and verdigris patina

This portable pocket ashtray dates from the mid-20th century, approximately the 1940s-1960s, when smoking was socially acceptable and even fashionable. These personal ashtrays were designed to be carried in pockets or purses, allowing smokers to dispose of cigarette ash discreetly when no stationary ashtray was available. These pocket ashtrays were popular accessories during the golden age of smoking and are now collected as vintage tobacciana. The distinctive verdigris patina inside shows years of use and natural aging of the brass. Collectors of smoking memorabilia, mid-century accessories, and vintage brass items particularly value these portable ashtrays for their historical connection to changing social customs and their compact, functional design.