Description
SOLD
Beautiful huge copper cigar ashtray from Peru. Signed by etching on the base “Inca Copper 306 Hand Hammered”.
Genuine Inca copper, wow. Makes one wonder about the origin and date of this item. We know it is old, but we do not have a date. The Inca’s appeared in the 14th century and grew into a great nation until the late 16th century when the Spanish arrived with sophisticated weapons and a lust for the Inca lands and their riches. The great Inca culture was wiped out by war and disease.
Most Inca descendants living today are near the city of Cusco, once the capital of the Inca empire. There is a big corporate copper mine company in Cusco now that was formed in 1970. We estimate this one-of-a-kind cigar ashtray was made pre-1970. It could be very very old, we do not know. We have not found an example of the signature nor another ashtray like it on the Web.
BIG ashtray of thick copper measures 10″ square and sits 1½” tall. Has six cigar size cradle rests approx. ¾” wide and 2″ long. Other decor indentions can rest cigarettes or smaller and incense. Great for pipe resting too. Deep bowl to retain the debris.
There is no corrosion on the copper. The corners of the ashtray have been bent down in varying amounts by years of use we assume. But the copper is thick and cannot bend easily, so perhaps the corner bends are part of the crafter’s intention. As you can see on the base, the high grade copper still shines like new. The black shading areas you see on both sides were added by the creator as decor. On the top side of the ashtray you see heavy patina, some developed by age, some developed by tobacco tar. The base of the ash receiving area has some burn spots from extinguishing smokes. It adds character. Weighs 1.3 lbs.
