Canadian Made Ashtray,

Standing Ashtray, OR Chrome Floor Ashtray c1953 Canada, Metalcraft Mfg. Co., Toronto
I received this ashtray on April 5, 2022

The base on this ashtray has an 8 inch diameter piece of onyx (glass). Usually they are flat (1 in) and this one is elevated up to 4 inches so it is a rare piece. I have never seen this one on a houze glass page and so I am not sure if they poured this mold only at the metalcraft factory. I do not believe that the Houze Glass factory in the U.S. was the only place this type of glass was made so I have always challenged that piece of information. In Canada there were just too many pieces that are unique and never used in the U.S. I know for sure that there are more than a number of ashtray or lamp parts that were poured with colours and shapes that were never made for the U.S. market and this is one. Also the ashtray at top was never made for U.S. However a lot of these lamp/ashtrays are still found in the U.S. states as most of the ashtrays were nicer than the states were making. I admit the states were more Art Deco looking but more in the kitchy manner. There is a nice flower part on some of these ashtrays that is also made in the U.S. but only in a gray colour on some very small table lamps. Canada made that glass only poured in white with brown striations and the white, the tips of the flowers are opalescent, something Houze Glass never achieved, but not sure on that for sure.

I bought this ashtray because they went so far out as if the simple ashtray is an Icon, elevated in pedestal form with elaborate pieces decorated and all lit up. This form where they used such decoative pieces was even available through Eatons Canada in 1953 and that is where my mother got her husband one very similar, with a matching standing lamp with Torchiere shade. Since I grew up with one and seen it most of my life I suppose that is why they have become so important to me as an item a family had.