Description
1950s Art by Hollywood darling, Sascha Brastoff.
Fabulous find in excellent condition. Signed and numbered.
Sascha’s work became recognized by the rich & famous in the 1940s. Carmen Miranda, popular singer and dancer of the time helped introduce Sascha’s art to Hollywood who welcomed his bold, brash, modern style. Commissioned to design costumes for Betty Grable in Diamond Horseshoe by 20th Century Fox Studios in the mid 1940s, he soon found favor with notables like Edward G. Robinson, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Mitzi Gaynor, Joan Crawford, Donna Reid and Winthorpe B. Rockefeller.
Brastoff opened his ceramic studio with the financial backing of Rockefeller, commanding high prices for the time and enjoyed great success. He continued his art with other mediums such as the elaborate metal fish sculpture prominently featured in the in the 1950s Sci-Fi classic Forbidden Planet. In the mid 1960s Other art pottery makers such as Stangl and Royal Haeger were licensed to use Sascha’s name trademark. These items usually have a thick black cursive SB signature near the maker’s mark. This ashtray is from his original studio.
This ashtray was made from copper and decorated by hand with metallic blue enamel and gold leaf. Features four half-moon mounds in the center of the ash receiving bowl. The mounds were designed in to assist in rolling the ash and snuffing. Deep slanted wall bowl catches and retains the debris. Well-designed ashtray. Form and function were a priority of the great mid-century modern designers.
Measures 6¾” round and 1 5/8″ deep. Signed Sascha B and numbered on the base. In excellent condition.
